One Man's Dream of Universal Health Insurance

A Health Care Article Contributed by Marie Rossiter

Is Universal Health Insurance Possible?

For years, people in the United States have waited for a health insurance system that is affordable for everyone. Universal health insurance is a great idea, but is it even possible. In the early 1990s, at the start of President Clinton's term in office, there were promises made that universal health insurance coverage was coming to America. Yet, here were are in 2004 and health insurance seems to be getting out of reach for more people than ever. Is affordable health insurance for all just a pipe dream? If Jim Duffet has anything to say about it, then not a chance.

How Duffet is Working Toward Equal Health Insurance Coverage for All.

Duffet is the executive director of an organization called Campaign for Better Health Care. This group is the largest health care coalition in the state of Illinois. Through this organization's work, the Illinois legislature passed the Health Care Justice Act of 2004. The focus of this law is to work toward assuring that all residents of Illinois have affordable access to health insurance by 2007.

In their feature about Duffet the Chicago Sun-Times cites Duffet's desire of working toward a state law that mandates purchasing health insurance. Just as we are required by law to buy auto insurance, we should be required by law to buy health insurance." Chicago Sun-Times, 12/15/04) Duffet hopes that by doing this, insurers will be able to set costs lower by having a larger sample of clients from which to base their rates.

This will reduce rates because with larger sample sizes, health insurance providers evaluate the health of the groups of people that they will cover (i.e. a business). Therefore, if there happens to be a couple of chronically ill people within a smaller company, health insurance rates will be bumped up accordingly for all within the group.

Affordable Health Insurance is Good for Business, Too.

In spite of his success in getting health insurance legislation passed and signed by the governor of Illinois, are there real changes coming down the pike anytime soon for people who need affordable health insurance coverage? As the prices for health insurance rise sharply, businesses must absorb the extra expense in order to help cover their employees. Duffet knows first hand about the struggles that companies endure to offer coverage to their employees.

He tells the Chicago-Sun Times that insurance rates have jumped an average of 17 percent over the past three years. And, while he has managed to keep up with the soaring expenses, he's not sure how much longer that's possible. " We cannot continue to survive under the meltdown of the system that we have."

More Empty Promises?

But, is Duffet just throwing out more empty promises for universal health care. While he may have big dreams for the people of Illinois (and the entire United States), he is a realist at heart. Three years is not a long time to overhaul an entire health care system. But, for him and other health insurance advocates, at least it's a start.