Tom Epstein

Universal Healthcare

The Obama administration wants to reserve 635 billion dollars to finance a comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. health-care system – a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you are talking about some real money.

Our guest, Tom Epstein, is no stranger to this billion dollar debate – he’s the vice president, of public affairs of Blue Shield of California, the 3.4 million-member not-for-profit California health plan that provides health and life insurance products for the commercial, individual and government markets – and Mr. Epstein helped devise and launch Blue Shield’s well received proposal for universal healthcare coverage.

Tom Epstein, Vice President, Public Affairs of Blue Shield of California, San Francisco CA -

Mr. Epstein is a health policy expert who can provide a fresh perspective on the complexities of today’s healthcare challenges. He served as a special assistant for political affairs in the Clinton White House where he worked under Rahm Emanuel, was heavily involved in the debate over Hillary Rodham Clinton’s health care initiative, and served as a top policy strategist and principal spokesperson for California State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi.

Christopher Springmann

5 / 22 / 2009