Leaders Discuss Health Care In Black Community; Presidential Candidate Reform Plans

teleconference last week, health experts and a lawmaker discussed health care in the black community and the proposals of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), Louisiana Weekly reports the (Louisiana Weekly, 10/8). Obama has proposed to require employers to offer health insurance or pay a percentage of their payrolls into a federal fund to provide coverage, with an exemption for small businesses. Subsidies would be provided to lower-income people to help them obtain coverage. In addition, the proposal would establish a health insurance "exchange" that would offer people a choice between private insurance plans and a public plan. Insurers would be required to accept anyone, regardless of their health status. The McCain proposal would replace an... [read full story]