Most observers give neither of the bills much chance of passage, and that's just as well.
Many Mainers, like folks across the country, are having a tough time coping with the rapid changes in the nation's health-care system. Health-care costs have skyrocketed, even with the onset of managed care. The growing number of people without health insurance is another problem that must be addressed. But governments, whether federal or state, have proved time and again that they cannot run an enterprise as efficiently or effectively as the private sector. Proponents of a government plan are quick to cite single-payer systems in Canada and other countries.