Zinaire
13-12-2008, 02:18
OOC: This is the occasionally updated Zinairian news feed. Feel free to post comments about stories (either IC or OOC) or to add stories from your own nation's new service(s).
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Zinairian News Network (ZNN) is Zinaire's premier source of hard-hitting, reliable news right from the source, right when you need it. News is available 24/7 at www.znn.zn or on the ZNN television network; check your local listings for channels.
Executive Council Announces Universal Healthcare
December 12, 2008
ZINAIRE CITY– Apparently, the Executive Council has been caught up in the spirit of giving. Councilor Alexandra Michelin announced at a press conference today that, beginning in the new year, the Zinairian government would be offering free universal healthcare. This is a surprise move by the Council, which is dominated by the pro-privitization Zinairian Business Party, and by the National Assembly, also dominated by the ZBP. Michelin, the only member of the leftist Zinairian People's Party serving on the Council, and her allies in the National Assembly were pivotal in pushing their piece of legislature through. The bill passed in the legislature with a wide 263 vote majority.
Supporters of the ZPP, mainly of which are working class, are jubilant and there have been reports of celebrations spilling out into the streets. While the move is generally appreciated by the Zinairian citizenry, companies are having mixed reactions, especially considering that to fund the service, the national government will be cutting back of corporate handouts. Businesses in the medical and insurance sectors are unsure what effects the move will have on them. Chief Executive and ZBP member Gregory Bishop defended the move to corporations:
"Many of you are concerned about the effects of cutting our funding to economic stimulus programs, but let me assure you that universal healthcare is just as good for you as it is for every other citizen of Zinaire. First and foremost, you'll no longer have to pay for employee health benefits, which can be a major expense as you all know, secondly, your workforce, even the ones who you didn't previously provide healthcare for, will be healthier, meaning productivity gains. As I'm sure you know, the Zinairian government has offered generous tax breaks to companies that provide health care to their workers, now all we're doing is taking out the middleman and providing this healthcare ourselves."
Despite Bishop's reassurances, some businesses are still worried that they'll be bearing more than their share of costs in order to pay the bill for unemployed Zinairians, estimated to make up less than 3% of the population. This segment will undoubtedly see the greatest change come the new year.
The Zinairian National Health Service is set to roll out on 1 January, 2009, but many critics fear the the program will still be half-baked at that time and many are anticipating delays. Government spokespeople have reassured naysayers, saying that the government has been planning for this move for several months. Despite this, hospitals and insurers say the announcement was the first they had heard of the change. Newly appointed NHS director Catherine Dubois is already saying that the January deadline may not be met, saying it could be late spring before the service comes online.
This move, combined with the earlier decision to provide free higher-level education, has led some hard-line ZBP members to criticize the Bishop administration for it's "socialist" practices. Meanwhile, members of the People's Party say that Bishop is doing a good job balancing his own loyalties and the interests of the citizenry.
http://img.skitch.com/20081213-rjq8yktatitucnqdjbi3f7pqyg.png
Zinairian News Network (ZNN) is Zinaire's premier source of hard-hitting, reliable news right from the source, right when you need it. News is available 24/7 at www.znn.zn or on the ZNN television network; check your local listings for channels.
Executive Council Announces Universal Healthcare
December 12, 2008
ZINAIRE CITY– Apparently, the Executive Council has been caught up in the spirit of giving. Councilor Alexandra Michelin announced at a press conference today that, beginning in the new year, the Zinairian government would be offering free universal healthcare. This is a surprise move by the Council, which is dominated by the pro-privitization Zinairian Business Party, and by the National Assembly, also dominated by the ZBP. Michelin, the only member of the leftist Zinairian People's Party serving on the Council, and her allies in the National Assembly were pivotal in pushing their piece of legislature through. The bill passed in the legislature with a wide 263 vote majority.
Supporters of the ZPP, mainly of which are working class, are jubilant and there have been reports of celebrations spilling out into the streets. While the move is generally appreciated by the Zinairian citizenry, companies are having mixed reactions, especially considering that to fund the service, the national government will be cutting back of corporate handouts. Businesses in the medical and insurance sectors are unsure what effects the move will have on them. Chief Executive and ZBP member Gregory Bishop defended the move to corporations:
"Many of you are concerned about the effects of cutting our funding to economic stimulus programs, but let me assure you that universal healthcare is just as good for you as it is for every other citizen of Zinaire. First and foremost, you'll no longer have to pay for employee health benefits, which can be a major expense as you all know, secondly, your workforce, even the ones who you didn't previously provide healthcare for, will be healthier, meaning productivity gains. As I'm sure you know, the Zinairian government has offered generous tax breaks to companies that provide health care to their workers, now all we're doing is taking out the middleman and providing this healthcare ourselves."
Despite Bishop's reassurances, some businesses are still worried that they'll be bearing more than their share of costs in order to pay the bill for unemployed Zinairians, estimated to make up less than 3% of the population. This segment will undoubtedly see the greatest change come the new year.
The Zinairian National Health Service is set to roll out on 1 January, 2009, but many critics fear the the program will still be half-baked at that time and many are anticipating delays. Government spokespeople have reassured naysayers, saying that the government has been planning for this move for several months. Despite this, hospitals and insurers say the announcement was the first they had heard of the change. Newly appointed NHS director Catherine Dubois is already saying that the January deadline may not be met, saying it could be late spring before the service comes online.
This move, combined with the earlier decision to provide free higher-level education, has led some hard-line ZBP members to criticize the Bishop administration for it's "socialist" practices. Meanwhile, members of the People's Party say that Bishop is doing a good job balancing his own loyalties and the interests of the citizenry.