This article from The New York Times discusses the on-going debate over how to best supply health coverage to the nearly 50 million Americans that currently do not have health insurance.

 While the details of a federal insurance plan remain vague, a central question is whether it would function like Medicare - wielding the government’s size and clout to essentially dictate the prices it pays for medical care.

If so, the government’s main advantage over the private sector would be to demand much lower prices from doctors and hospitals than private insurers are able to negotiate. It could then pass those savings along to consumers in much lower premiums than the private plans might be able to offer. Critics say such a system would eventually force private insurers out of business.

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