Health insurance debate set to continue Tuesday

From Tallahassee.com

The debate over whether to expand Leon County's program for people without health insurance is expected to continue Tuesday, when county commissioners consider hiring a consultant to develop a new, more comprehensive system.

The county has a property tax that raises about $1.2 million a year for treatment of the uninsured at two local clinics. But some in the community are calling for a greatly expanded program, which could be funded by a half-percent increase in the sales tax. That would raise funding to $18 million a year.

Members of the Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry, or TEAM, are expected to speak out on the issue during the meeting.

"The reason we're doing it is to try to bring as much pressure to bear on public officials to try to encourage them to make health care more accessible to citizens in Leon County and Tallahassee," said the Rev. Tom Borland, pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church and co-chair of TEAM.

For more, read Monday's Tallahassee Democrat.