Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Wednesday promoted his Healthy Americans Act (S 334) at a meeting held by America's Health Insurance Plans, saying that failing to "fix the private market" would lead to more support for a single-payer health care system, CQ HealthBeat reports (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 3/5). Under the legislation, private health insurers would provide coverage to individuals directly, rather than through employers, and employers initially would shift funds currently used to pay for coverage to employee wages. Over time, employers would have to pay the federal government a health insurance contribution (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/26).

According to CQ HealthBeat, Wyden talked about the increase in support and cooperation since previous health care debates, noting that Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern and Safeway CEO Steve Burd joined him when he announced the legislation. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) also spoke at the meeting, saying that "something like what (Wyden is) proposing could go pretty far" toward improving the U.S. health care system. According to CQ HealthBeat, Camp said incentives, rather than mandates, would better encourage individuals to purchase health care coverage (CQ HealthBeat, 3/5).

A kaisernetwork.org webcast of Wyden's remarks will be available online on Friday.