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The Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut has released a proposal to reform healthcare in the state. 
 

The proposal calls for opening the health insurance pool covering state employees to the public and creating a much larger pool by combining it with people on state assistance.  It differs from Massachusetts universal health care plan because individuals have the ability to opt out.
 

President of the Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut, Juan Figueroa says this plan would use state purchasing power to help negotiate lower costs.
 

The proposal calls for a start date of 2011 and there would be minimal costs for the state until 2014 when the state would be expected to invest $950 million dollars.  That cost sounds daunting considering the state's ballooning deficit now.
 

But in a conference call with reporters, Figue-oa says universal health care is being discussed on the federal level and the timing of a proposal from Connecticut may help the state get federal aid to enact it.

"It's really ultimately then about positioning the state in the way that it can both shape the conversation happening at the federal level but most importantly be at the front of the line when new health care dollars come down."

The idea is similar to a proposal passed by the General Assembly last year but vetoed by Governor Rell due to her concerns over massive costs to implement universal health care. Figueroa says last year's plan was a just a narrow view of healthcare reform. He says the foundation's entire plan is more comprehensive and it projects $1.7 billion dollars in savings to the state and its residents. 

The full proposal is at: www.healthcare4every1.org/sustinetproposal