Financing, estimation, and economic effects.

Health reform is necessary to strengthen our economy and to ensure long-run federal deficit reduction. Comprehensive reform such as that proposed by President Bill Clinton is ambitious but may be the only way to guarantee universal coverage and deficit reduction in this decade. This paper describes the sources and uses of federal funds and the methodologies used to derive the administration's estimates. In addition, the paper briefly analyzes the economic effects of an employer mandate and other dimensions of the Health Security Act.