San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to approve a plan that would makes the city the first in the nation to offer health care coverage to all of its residents. The board must vote one more time to finalize the plan, which would cover all medical services so long as they are provided within the city at existing clinics and public hospitals, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The plan’s estimated cost is $200 million annually, which would be paid for by money from the city, income-adjusted premiums and mandatory contributions from businesses with more than 50 employees. The business community has strongly opposed the plan.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/19/national/a180708D86.DTL&hw=health+care&sn=006&sc=668