Speakers express division on bill to mandate coverage in Washington, DC

At a Washington, DC, Council hearing, residents, representatives of HMOs and convenience store owners testified on legislation that would mandate healthcare coverage for all city residents. The subsidized program, called Healthy DC, would cover residents who do not qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, or a city insurance program for low-income residents who are ineligible for other public assistance. About 45,000 residents could be covered by the program, which would cost an estimated $50 million. To enroll, the uninsured would pay $20 to $100 in monthly premiums, depending on their incomes.