This is what Wisconsin legislators should be debating on health care

A recent Chicago Tribune article shows the Illinois legislature is on the right track for health care. They are currently debating extending medical coverage to all state residents.

Before you start bringing out the older lady bowler from the days when the Clintons were debating national health care, let me say that I don't think it should be that type of health care. Government shouldn't be running the hospitals, but government is what has to solve this problem.

I think we should let people start to buy into the state health care plan. Or the federal one. Private companies would still run health care but the government would guarantee that everyone gets it. That means we still have to have government paid for options for people that can't afford it of course. But helping lower-income people pay for health insurance will help many become self-sufficient sooner.

According to the Chicago Tribune, this is similar to what Illinois is debating right now. They are looking at a mix of expanding Medicaid for low-income adults, health insurance subsidies and letting uninsured people buy into new health insurance pools.

Howard Lerner, the head of the new task force charged with developing a plan for Illinois has a comment that illustrates why the time is ripe to start these discussions again.

"Medical providers are taking on the chin. Consumers are taking it on the chin. Employers are taking it on the chin."

In short, our current health care system is failing everyone.