WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has a new plan so everyone in the nation would have health care coverage.

AP photo

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden.

It would allow workers to carry their health insurance from job to job without penalty and would cost the federal government no more than it's paying today for health insurance coverage.

It would cover all Americans except those on Medicare or those who receive health care through the military.

It's called the "Healthy Americans Act." The plan would require that employers "cash out" their existing health plans by terminating coverage. They would then pay the amount saved directly to workers as increased wages. Workers then would be required to buy health insurance from a large pool of private plans.

After two years, companies would no longer have to pay the higher wages.