Panel Urges Basic Coverage on Health Care

By ROBERT PEAR

Published: September 26, 2006

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 — A federal advisory panel said Monday that Congress should take immediate steps to guarantee that all Americans have access to affordable health care by 2012.

As a first step, the 14-member panel, appointed by the comptroller general of the United States, said, “A national public or private program must be established to ensure protection against very high out-of-pocket medical costs for everyone.”