ABSTRACT
Conflicts in policy fonnation in the area of health care result from basic differences regarding the role of government, federal or the state, in providing or supporting health care services. Arguments about whether health care is a right or an accommodation to an important human need continue and proponents of each side of the debate staunchly defend the correctness of their views. Opponents of government health programs say they are not guaranteed in the Constitution and proponents say they are implied by the general welfare clause. The issue is complicated by considerations such as whether the provision of health is the primary responsibility of employers, the private sector through insurance, the individual through savings or the public sector. The debate also invites discussion of how much care should be provided, whether all people should have the same access to care irrespective of their financial status, and whether there are some areas ofthe care delivery system that are more appropriate for public sector rather than private sector involvement.
