Richardson outlines health plan

DES MOINES, Iowa — Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson on Tuesday called for universal health care, offering a plan that would expand preventive coverage to help offset a package costing more than $100 billion.

The New Mexico governor said he could provide coverage to the 45 million uninsured without raising taxes. Instead, Richardson said preventive care would save the nation billions of dollars and additional money could be diverted from spending on the Iraq war.

"Universal health care is not only a moral imperative, it is also an economic imperative," said Richardson.

Building on the existing health care system, Richardson's plan would lower the age at which Medicare provides coverage to 55, expand health services for the low income and give tax breaks to businesses and individuals who pay for their health coverage.

"My plan does not build a new bureaucracy. The last thing we need between patients and doctors is another sticky web of red tape," Richardson said in a written statement. He planned to unveil the plan at a campaign event in Iowa.

Richardson estimated that his health care plan would cost between $104 billion to $110 billion a year.

Features of Richardson's health care plan include:

— Lowering the eligibility age for Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly, to 55. He would also expand government health programs for the poor and for children. Young people could stay on their parent's insurance plan until they turn 25, under his proposal.

— Giving veterans a card allowing them to get health benefits at the facility of their choice.

— Requiring that insurance companies not deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and mandating that they spend at least 85 percent of their premiums on health services.

— Increasing the use of technology to increase the efficiency of the health care system.