The issue of having the federal government (meaning all taxpayers) become responsible for guaranteeing the availability and delivery of health care services (the quality of which is also 'to be determined') has mushroomed as fast as the costs for health care services. The U.S. Public Health Service, the Veterans Administration, Tri-Care, Medicare and Medicaid are examples of government involvement in health care. Many people question the administration, costs and effectivity of these government-run services, and use them as examples of the government's lack of business acumen in the delivery of consumer services. The National Health Care programs of various countries are often raised as examples (good and bad) of the types and quality of care which can be expected if adopted within the United States.

As one who does not believe that "government" must be mommy and daddy to the general public, but the general public often needs to fix things in spite of the government's "help," I'm curious on the ideas any/all of us have on the issue of government involvement in and delivery of health care services.

We've all "been around the block" several times, so one would think we'd have some ideas. I'm not really interested in what either campaign has speechwriters working to impress, but would be more in the line of - if I had ten minutes with each candidate, this is what I'd say and have them listen, not the other way around. Maybe they might even listen!

As a start - recognizing that "insurance" is simply the pooling of resources by many in order to cover the potential of need by some at any time, and that the Medicare salary deduction is just that (an insurance premium), the Medicare salary deduction can be increased to fund "catastrophic" circumstances (e.g., annual deductible of $ _,000) in the same manner that similar commercial policies operate. The schedule of payments for types of services could be matched to Tri-Care's (the only comparable schedule I can think of. This type of catastrophic coverage would not provide for preventive or 'routine' care costs, but only kick in to cover the extreme.

What are your ideas?