COWLES FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH IN
ECONOMICS Box 208281
COWLES FOUNDATION DISCUSSION PAPER NO. 1073 Health Care Reform as Seen by a General Economist James Tobin May 1994 Universal coverage, it is argued, implies universally required insurance, to avoid adverse selection into last-resort care implicitly guaranteed. It also entails community rating, such that insurers cannot choose among risks. Individual mandate makes more sense than employer mandate. A system is proposed in which individual can choose among a government Medicare-like plan and private insurance offering equivalent services. Means-tested assistance would help individuals pay premiums. |
