Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 3, 1994 TAG: 9405030132
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
|B.S., Roanoke A: Not everybody is praising it. Lots of politicians criticize Hawaii's requirement that every employer, no matter how small, pay into the health care system.
Virginia's own Gov. George Allen said a couple of weeks ago, "If the state of Hawaii wants to do it, fine. We don't want it in Virginia ...''
Perhaps our Republican governor chose that phrasing because the Democrats in Washington are taking a really close look at Hawaii's plan.
The House Committee on Small Business heard a lengthy presentation in March from Hawaii's health director, John Lewin.
He described the system Hawaii adopted in 1975 as the nation's best at making basic health care available to everyone.
Some key points: Almost every resident is covered regardless of income; the cost per person is lower than mainland expenses; and no huge bureaucracy is needed to operate it. Hawaii runs the system in conjunction with its workers' compensation program.
Risk and cost are shared by almost everyone, and both are decreased, Lewin said.
That prevents the problems common in the nation's system, where group coverage is becoming increasingly selective and expensive.
The cost of health care per person is lower in Hawaii. A 1993 study showed business costs of just over $2,000 per employee for health care. Our national average was $2,284 per worker in 1992.
There's much more to consider, of course, but Lewin had one other point: Small businesses were not hurt much by the plan, although prices of hamburgers and dry cleaning did go up slightly.
Hawaii does have a high cost of living, but real-estate prices account for most of that.
Hawaii's economy continues to grow, and 98 percent of its businesses employ 100 or fewer people, so Hawaii has not experienced the loss of jobs or businesses that critics often predict if all employers are required to participate in such a plan.|
Not yet, Atlanta|
Q: Where can you write to get ticket information for the Olympics in Atlanta?|
|R.F., Salem A: It's too early to order, but Atlanta's Committee for the Summer Olympic Games promises we'll be seeing that address everywhere in the media when tickets go on sale in spring 1995.
Here's what they've said so far: The Games, July 19-Aug. 4, 1996, will have 10,281,757 seats at various events. Prices will range from $8 for less-popular competitions in preliminary rounds to $175 for the hottest tickets. Average price: $25.
Some tickets are reserved for the nations' Olympic committees, but most are to be sold on a first-come first-served basis.|
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by CNB