California’s effort to extend universal health care coverage to its residents stalled in committee and appears to be dead. As the Wall Street Journal rightly points out, individual states don’t have the political authority to keep health care costs under control. These attempts by states to develop their own patchwork solutions are interesting, but I don’t see them as viable solutions. The deteriorating economic outlook isn’t going to do much to encourage other states to experiment with expanding health care coverage. All this is to say that the only viable solution is a national solution. But for any national solution to be really effective, it must address the market forces that drive costs higher. I’m still not convinced that either Clinton’s or Obama’s plan does this.
What national health care plan do you endorse?