"Emphasizes the importance of universal health care and looks at alternatives for achieving universal health care coverage that also improves efficiency in the health care industry and provides proposals to improve the effectiveness and affordability of health care, including income-related...

"Identifies and analyzes the three leading approaches to Medicare reform: updated social insurance, premium support, and consumer-directed Medicare, rating each on its political viability as well as ability to promote access to health care, improve quality of care, and control costs. Describes...

"Examines the role that taxes currently play, the likely effects of recently introduced health savings accounts, the challenges of administering major subsidies for health insurance through the tax system, and options for using the tax system to expand health insurance coverage"--Provided by...

Authors suggest reforms in federal programs that have the potential to reduce the growth of spending for the entire health system, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of care provided, and enhance health outcomes and stress the need for innovative approaches and cooperation between the...