Blue Cross unveils proposal to expand health coverage

A U.S. health insurance giant has presented a proposal to reduce the number of Americans without medical coverage and said it was intended as a blueprint for U.S. policymakers.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, whose 39 regional companies insure about 100 million Americans, has unveiled a plan which would combine tax credits to encourage people to buy coverage with ideas to improve the quality of health care.

The proposal would extend coverage to 30 million to 35 million of the 47 million people who are uninsured in the country of about 300 million people, said Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Serota.

The growing number of uninsured Americans and runaway health costs have emerged as a potent issue in the presidential election. The Bush administration, members of Congress and private groups have offered proposals, but with few results.