Kerry Unveils Own Health-Care Proposal Aimed at Middle Class, Uninsured.

By Glen Johnson, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

May 18--DES MOINES, Iowa--Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts unveiled yesterday a national health-care plan focused on reducing costs for middle-class workers and expanding coverage to the uninsured that would be paid for, if necessary, by repealing the income tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that President Bush signed into law.

The Democratic presidential contender said his plan, which would cost an average of $72 billion annually for the first five years, differs from those already offered by his rivals Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and Howard Dean of Vermont by including provisions intended to control rising health care costs. Among the methods would be reducing paperwork that accounts for an estimated 25 percent of the costs and speeding the introduction of less expensive generic drugs in the prescription drug marketplace.

The proposal also provides health insurance relief for …