The reaction was swift, though many health care experts had not seen details of Gov. Ed Rendell's health care proposal. And the comments mostly were favorable, although many said they are anxious to get more details.

Several major organizations, including Highmark Inc., Hospital & Health System of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Medical Society generally indicated an interest in supporting the Rendell administration to develop reforms that will make health care more efficient in the state and improve the focus on the doctor-patient relationship.

"We believe that the soundest and most practical approach toward covering all Pennsylvanians is by building on the state's system of public and private financing of health insurance," Highmark Inc. said in a statement released yesterday.

Highmark echoed Mr. Rendell's statement that the lack of health insurance, especially for those with low and modest incomes, is driving the need for reform, and cited delayed access to medical care, unnecessary use of hospital emergency rooms and shifting of costs for uncompensated care to state employers and employees as problems that need to be solved.

The company also advocated reforms in "the small group health insurance market" to help stabilize the cost of coverage for small employers that can't afford insurance for their workers.

Representing small business owners in Pennsylvania, the SMC Business Councils' statement said its members may not be able to endorse every aspect of the governor's plan, but congratulated him on "a bold comprehensive program for addressing runaway health care costs and all of the serious problems that they are causing."

"This is more comprehensive than any other governor's proposal to date, and we're glad for that," said Cliff Shannon, SMC president. "We congratulate him for pushing health care to the top of the agenda in Harrisburg."

He also favored the proposed ceilings on the cost of monthly premiums for small businesses.

"We think that will limit windfall profits by health insurers and restrain ultra-volatile health insurance premiums for small business," Mr. Shannon said.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society applauded efforts to address hospital-acquired infections, patient safety, chronic disease management, access to care, the affordability of care, and reducing the number of uninsured and underinsured.

In its statement, it said: "The Medical Society stands behind the importance of the patient-doctor relationship as the keystone to quality health care. These principles must be central to health care reforms in Pennsylvania."

A statement from the hospital association did not focus on specifics of the plan that will affect hospitals' operations but expressed support for the governor's efforts to improve health care coverage, quality of care and patient safety.

The Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, in a news release, commended Mr. Rendell on his proposal to improve the safety, quality and efficiency of health care.

"The governor's plan makes clear that we need to stop making patients sicker with avoidable infections," said initiative President and Chief Executive Officer Karen Wolk Feinstein. "We need to stop letting patients with chronic illnesses end up in hospitals when we could keep them healthier at less expense with timely treatment and we need to start working in earnest on the twin dilemmas of health care: quality and cost."

AARP Pennsylvania said Mr. Rendell's plan will boost access to insurance coverage and improve the quality of care residents receive.

"AARP believes quality health care is a right, not a privilege," said Ray Landis, AARP associate state director, advocacy. "It shows Americans are ready for a new approach to ensuring that adequate and affordable health care is available for all."

Mr. Landis said the group is particularly pleased that the plan would improve the long-term care system.

AARP research shows 23 percent of Americans have problems paying medical bills and 29 percent say they skip treatment, tests or prescription drugs because of cost, its news release states.

Since his organization helps uninsured people get affordable health care, Michael Campbell, director of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project, said he also supports much of the governor's plan.

"If this would pass, it would solve the problem for a lot of our clients," he said.

Mr. Campbell applauded the changes to the adultBasic program, making more people eligible and providing more basic coverage. He said Mr. Rendell's plan would "fill the most glaring gap in adultBasic: prescription drug coverage and behavioral healthy coverage."

"Significant numbers of people are without health insurance for different reasons: people who have early retirement who can't qualify [too much money] for Social Security or Medicaid. They may get disability benefits, but not Medicare. They're really in dire straits," he said.

Generally supporting reform, Jessica Seabury, executive director of the Consumer Health Coalition, cautioned that change could bring confusion.

"There's a need to educate the public about different reform options and how they would affect our lives," she said, stressing the need for more information on all options.

Focusing on the governor's plan to have dental workers provide more advanced care, Caroline Power Gangl, senior communications strategist at the Pennsylvania Dental Association, said she needs more information about what the governor is proposing.

As to hygienists filling cavities, she said neither dental assistants nor hygienists are permitted by state law to fill cavities, but that expanded-function dental assistants are already performing those tasks.

But not everyone is pleased with Mr. Rendell's plan.

Rejecting the governor's plan as inadequate, Steven Larchuk, chairman of the Pennsylvania HealthCare Solutions Coalition, said his group continues to seek a single-payer plan for the state. Such plans call for a government-run organization that would collect fees and pay out health care costs.

"My first thought is the governor is trying to put out a fire by putting out part of the fire," Mr. Larchuk said.

He said he still believes the answer is the single-payer plan proposed last year in Harrisburg as a universal health care plan, House Bill 2722 and Senate Bill 1085. Mr. Larchuk said he expects the bill to be reintroduced within the next two weeks.

"That bill will do everything the governor wants to do and do much more. It will put out the fire completely," he said. "We were hoping the governor might surprise us, but sadly he decided to go the partial route."

Mr. Larchuk said Mr. Rendell's plan doesn't come close to what the coalition thinks is the best approach.

"We could have a complete single-player plan fully operational and in effect in two years," he said. "It also would reduce the cost to employers who provide plans, and have other employers who have no plans to be able to provide them."