A bill in Congress introduced by John Conyers on February 8, 2005 and cosponsored by 78 members of the House of Representatives including Dennis Kucinich. There are no new cosponsors since 2006. Test of the thomas.gov summary of the bill:

United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act) - Establishes the United States National Health Insurance Program (the Program) to provide all individuals residing in the United States and in U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.

Prohibits an institution from participating in the Program unless it is a public or nonprofit institution. Allows nonprofit health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that actually deliver care in their own facilities to participate in the Program.

Gives patients the freedom to choose from participating physicians and institutions.

Prohibits a private health insurer from selling health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act. Allows such insurers to sell benefits that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery benefits.

Sets forth methods to pay hospitals and health professionals for services. Prohibits financial incentives between HMOs and physicians based on utilization.

Authorizes appropriations and provides for appropriated sums to be paid for: (1) by vastly reducing paperwork; (2) by requiring a rational bulk procurement of medications; (3) from existing sources of Government revenues for health care; (4) by increasing personal income taxes on the top five percent income earners; (5) by instituting a modest payroll tax; and (6) by instituting a small tax on stock and bond transactions.

Requires the Program to give first priority in retraining and job placement to individuals whose jobs are eliminated due to reduced administration.

Establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to advise the Secretary and the Director to ensure quality, access, and affordability.

Provides for the eventual integration of the health programs of the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Indian Health Service into the Program.

Immediate questions are about those taxes. Unspecified amounts and words like modest just don't get it done! 7% more payroll taxes would be a lot. Would it all be employer side, employee side or both? How much income tax on the top 5%. Taxes on capital gains plus taxes on stock and bond transactions would have a chilling effect on US business.

HR676 has its own advocacy group that answers questions like this:

Isn’t this really just socialized medicine?

No, it really isn’t, not even close.  Socialized medicine is where the state owns and controls all of the assets of the system and employs all of the medical personnel involved as well.  With the New Medicare, the state owns nothing and only exercises minimum control over the process such as establishing much needed cost controls and some helpful operating guidelines and mechanisms.  Real examples of “socialized” services include those necessary public services such as police and fire which everyone agrees needs to be provided as government services for the benefit of society.  How would you like it if all of the police and fire departments across the country were set up like our current medical system is today and their services were only available on a pay-per-use basis where only the well to do and privileged could actually afford to have access to them?  That doesn’t make any more sense than having our medical services limited as they are now in that very same way either… does it!

HealthCareNow.org is a bit more forthcoming about the costs:

Proposed Funding For USNHI Program: Maintain current federal and state funding for existing health care programs; employer payroll tax of 4.75, an employee payroll tax of 4.75; establish a 5% health tax on the top 5% of income earners; 10% tax on top 1% of wage earners, 1/3rd of 1% stock transaction tax, closing corporate tax loop-holes; repeal the Bush tax cut for the highest income earners.

Is the 4.75% on top of the current 3% payroll taxes for Medicare? What is the income level for the top 5% (over $150,000) of income earners and the top 1% (over $250,000). What is the effect of a 0.333% stock transaction tax? Would that mean a $333 tax on my $100,000 investment transfer from GM to EXXON? What about inside a fund family?

Michael Moore likes it too which should activate substantial opposition.