The search for solutions to the indigent care crisis.

Providing care to the medically indigent is draining the financial resources of many hospitals. While a unified plan has yet to emerge from Congress, several proposals are being considered. These range from expanding Medicaid to requiring that employers provide a minimum level of healthcare benefits to employees. Meanwhile, states have begun to cope with the problem on their own. Special taxes, lotteries, supplements, and universal insurance plans are among the solutions being tested. Despite these efforts, the question of who will pay for those who cannot remains largely unanswered.