Universal Health Care

This was once a hot button issue, but the discussion has died down recently to make room for debates over Barack Obama's preacher, Hillary Clinton's dirty campaigning and well, quite frankly, not much about McCain. Still, to many of us Americans, this IS an important issue, especially now that more of the middle class' hard earned paychecks are going into our gas tanks and money is getting tighter.
Both Democrat candidates have introduced proposals for government ran health care. Hillary's system forces everyone to be insured one way or the other, while Obama's plan makes buying into a national system optional, and allows individuals to continue to use private insurance. His plan also creates standards to which private insurers must meet in order to continue business as usual.
McCain's proposal focuses more on reform. His plan also has utilizes standards and forcing more competition in the health care arena - something that is needed. There are currently five major insurers in the US. The lack of competition creates an environment in the industry that is ripe for corruption and price fixing. His plan also states that the uninsured should have access to health care as well, which, in my opinion, makes the plan universal as well since that cost will come out of our tax dollars.

What would you propose gets done with health care? Do we simply ignore the issue and allow premiums to rise at twice the rate of inflation? Do we adopt a system that covers everyone? Do we adopt a system that covers those who want it? What is your opinion?

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