While I think a tax credit system, of the sort Giuliani proposed yesterday, is probably the best way to get to universal health insurance, his plan is defective on three counts:
–it doesn’t mandate that insurance companies cover everyone at the same rate, regardless of pre-existing conditions (community rating).
–it doesn’t mandate that everyone participates in the system.
–it doesn’t seem to be progressive enough, although I haven’t read the fine print. The tax benefits should be on a sliding scale, according to income and refundable to the working poor.