SALEM (AP) - A panel created by the Legislature says the state government should take a central role in promoting health, universal access to health care and medical cost control.

The Oregon Health Fund Board released a draft of its proposals Thursday.

It calls on the Legislature in 2009 to extend health coverage to more children and low-income adults, financed by taxes on health care providers.

It sets a goal of universal coverage within a decade.

The board also says the Legislature should create an Oregon Health Authority to handle the state's health efforts.

But the board says there's no way to provide universal health coverage unless it goes "hand in hand'' with a healthier society and efforts to restrain medical inflation.