According to a Harvard study (pdf) ("Health Care Delivery Covered Lives - Summary of Findings"; John F. Kennedy School of Government),in 2007 Medicare and Medicaid insured about 15% of the population, slightly less than the overall uninsured population.
One of the easiest ways to get to Universal Health Care is to expand Medicare by letting people either buy-in or extending eligibility. It also sets a floor offering that keeps the other players honest.
Another approach, a voucher system for health care seems to make intuitive sense and would make it easier for individuals to buy into supplemental coverage if they want it. If you created coverage plans that included higher funding for diagnosed conditions (AIDS, Diabetes, etc) on top of a base actuarially appropriate rate, people could go to existing insurers and buy coverage. Also, the insurers could put their money where the mouth is on incentive and disease management programs.
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