Bullet points on California healthcare overhaul

From The Los Angeles Times:

Healthcare plan provisions

Democrats in the state Assembly and Senate gave initial approval to similar proposals for changing California's healthcare system. Common elements of the plans:

Worker insurance: Employers spend 7.5% of their Social Security payroll wages on healthcare, or pay into a state fund that arranges insurance. Employees pay a share of premiums. Exemption for the self-employed.

The poor: State-subsidized insurance for children of families earning less than three times the federal poverty level ($61,950 a year for four). Families above poverty level pay some coverage costs, based on income.

Insurers: Healthcare companies spend at least 85% of premiums on medical care and publicly reveal profit ratios. Restrictions on reasons for refusing individual coverage.

Mid-size businesses: Companies with 51 to 250 workers get the same insurance protection that small businesses now have. Insurers can neither refuse to renew policies nor demand giant rate increases.

Cost: At least $8.3 billion in government, employer and employee spending.