title: Affordable health insurance for all is possible by means of a pragmatic approach.
abstract: America can attain affordable health insurance coverage for all by using a pragmatic approach. Such an effort must accommodate the realities of the American health care system and resist the temptation to propose radical restructuring. The congressional strategy for universal health care described here was developed by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. It builds on the strengths of the current pluralistic system by combining the benefits of public health plans such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program with a more competitive and affordable private insurance market. The health care system has reached a crisis point. Allowing the status quo to continue courts certain disaster.
authors.affiliation: American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa 19106, USA. jtooker@mail.acponline.org
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tooker
mesh_terms: D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009310:National Health Insurance, United States / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011057:Politics; D018855:Single-Payer System / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence