Private hospitals join San Francisco healthcare plan

San Francisco's universal healthcare program has taken a step forward, as private hospitals have agreed to begin treating participants rather than leaving their care entirely up to the city's public health system. The people who have enrolled in Healthy San Francisco since it began have been treated at 27 community clinics for their primary care needs and at San Francisco General Hospital for inpatient services. Executives of the hospitals said they agreed to participate in the program because it's morally correct, will curb expensive emergency-room visits and will boost the charity care they provide in exchange for big tax breaks.