California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking to redirect billions of dollars now spent to treat people without health insurance to purchase coverage for the uninsured, according to sources who have seen a recent version of the governor's health care plan expected to be released Monday. The governor's plan, which continues to be revised and reconsidered, would move up to $2 billion in tax money that now goes to hospitals to help cover indigent care and use it to buy insurance for part of the uninsured population. Schwarzenegger also is considering a "provider tax" aimed at hospitals, doctors, dentists and other caregivers.
See "Governor's new idea for funding health care", Tom Chorneau and Lynda Gledhill, San Francisco Chronicle, January 4, 2007