National health insurance: another alternative.

Abstract

The author proposes a national health insurance plan that would encourage the use of preventive medicine and involve a graduated voucher arrangement. The program would provide a limited amount of free care, copayment beyond the amount covered by vouchers, and catastrophic coverage beyond the copayment level. The maximum price of medical procedures would be set by the government, and would be varied to encourage provider relocation and innovative provider arrangements such as health maintenance organizations.