The Health Security Partnership. A federal-state universal insurance and cost-containment program

The Health Security Partnership attempts to assure (1) that all Americans have insurance coverage for a set of comprehensive health care benefits, (2) that cost-containment issues are addressed in a manner that does not impinge negatively on the quality of care, and (3) that provider freedom to deliver appropriate clinical care is strengthened. It assigns important responsibilities to the federal government (eg, specification of benefits, review of proposed state health care budgets), while permitting states to select, develop, and administer specific program design features they deem appropriate (eg, states could build on and expand the existing health system infrastructure, including private insurance, and/or extend the role of tax-supported programs). It is estimated that in its first year the program would add about 5% to America's health expenditures, but within a few years, cost-containment efforts and administrative efficiencies would reduce overall expenditures below what they otherwise would be.