Sen. John Breaux Calls for Federal Government to Support Universal Health Insurance

Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) said on Jan. 2 he would support a system of universal health care funded in part by the federal government, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. During a visit to the Louisiana State University Earl K. Long Medical Center, Breaux said he and a number of national research groups have investigated a proposal to provide universal health coverage in the United States. "You ought to have health care as a basic right. Everybody in America should have health insurance and we should help people get it," Breaux said. He said that the federal government should help subsidize the cost of health insurance for those who cannot afford coverage and dismissed the current employer-based health care system as an "archaic concept." Breaux said, "You should be able to pick your health insurance." He added that a system of universal health coverage would reduce health care costs "because there will be more healthy individuals and the costs will be spread around." Breaux will likely announce Jan. 3 whether he plans to run for governor of Louisiana next year (Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate, 1/3).