In an era of state health-program budget cuts that are penny-wise but pound-foolish, one legislative leader has said enough is enough. On June 2, Richard Moore, the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care, released a comprehensive plan to build up the state’s patchwork of health-care services over the next decade. Moore calls his ambitious agenda " A Caring Commonwealth, " which he spells out in a 44-page report. He would improve health care by emphasizing disease prevention, increasing funding, and offering universal health insurance. The plan outlines 40 measures for implementation by next year alone, followed by 71 by 2008, and another 40 by 2015. This week, the Phoenix caught up with Moore to discuss health care in Massachusetts today.

Q: Why is this plan necessary?

A: We haven’t had a consensus-driven, collaborative health-care policy since Michael Dukakis, whose efforts were repealed or failed due to lack of funding. In the last 12 years, we’ve drifted from crisis to crisis, whether it was the Harvard Pilgrim bailout or the difficulties with the uncompensated-care pool or Medicaid. We have no vision [on which] to base decisions on how to cut budgets or spend revenues. We ought to have this vision, and it ought to focus on improving the overall health status for people.

Q: Lawmakers have gutted public health and Medicaid budgets. Would you?

A: Some programs that have been cut or decimated by our fiscal problems deserve to be funded again, particularly prevention. When we cease doing disease prevention, we only make health problems and costs worse. The plan also envisions new initiatives. We need a way, for instance, to offset economic downturns, such as a mini-rainy-day fund dedicated to health care. This would allow us not to cut so drastically.

Q: What about the biggest health-care crisis, the uninsured?

A: The plan works toward universal access. We try to move back to expanded funding for Medicaid so everyone who wants health insurance and needs it can get it. Maintaining cost is a big issue. The business community, which provides insurance for employees, is spending more. They shift the cost to the employee, who finds his share is becoming unbearable, even with a not-too-bad salary. We also need to save money by improving safety. If you can reduce medical errors so people don’t stay in the hospital as long, that would save millions, which could be used to insure more people.

Q: Have leaders given their stamp of approval?

A: The plan was just released, so no. I don’t view this as particularly partisan. If the governor wants to come up with his own policy, fine. The main point is to get the discussion going on a vision of health care for this Commonwealth.

Q: So what’s next?

A: The Health Care Committee will hold hearings to seek public input in the fall. In the next weeks, I’ll file a bill that would set in statute the broad framework of the policy and, more importantly, create a commission to help guide its implementation.

Q: What should people take away from this?

A: We need help in shaping a vision for health care. Make sure we’re on the right track to improve the health of all.

Copies of Moore’s health-care policy can be viewed at www.caringcommonwealth.com . The senator’s office is now accepting feedback from the public.