Payment mechanisms under a national health program.

Thomas S. Bodenheimer, M.D., M.P.H. is an internist in private practice and Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco. A national health program is once again on the nations agenda. The term national health program refers to a universal health care financing mechanism at the state or federal level, or both, that replaces the current voluntary system of private multiple health insurers. In the