US House Health Panel's Plan For Medicare

Aplan offered by US House Ways and Means Health subcommittee chairmanRepresentative Bill Thomas would ensure financial solvency for Medicare's hospital trust fund until 2007. There are no deal-breakers left out there, he told a news conference detailing the plan, the key points of which are:

- Medical Savings Accounts would be available to 500,000 seniors in a test program. Those taking part would get a cash voucher to buy health insurance covering what Medicare does, but with a deductible of up to $6,000. Any money left over would be added to the seniors' own contributions in a tax-exempt savings account to be used for uncovered medical expenses;

- more managed care choices;