The national health insurance conundrum: shifting paradigms and potential solutions.
For nearly a century, federal lawmakers have debated the pros and cons of national health insurance. Despite surges of interest, a consensus for such action does not exist. With political camps divided a "hybrid" solution is needed. Such a plan would involve both the government and the private sector, featuring a single payer system, creation of a basic benefit package, voluntary incentives to purchase insurance that gradually move to a mandatory system, and a progressively financed public program to cover those who fall through the cracks. Presidential leadership will be necessary to gain action.
School of Public Health, University of North Carolina.
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Thorpe
D003256:Community Participation; D003361:Cost Allocation; D003363:Cost Control; D004465:Economic Competition; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009310:National Health Insurance, United States / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013660:Taxes; D014481:United States