The paper begins by giving a history of government
involvement in healthcare in America. It looks at federal, state and local
roles of government in the provision of health-care services and the problems that the "working-poor" have with access to healthcare. It then focuses on the state of Florida as a state where healthcare problems are particularly acute, owing to the
demographic features of the state and its position as a major tourist attraction. After specifying challenges, the paper proposes a strategic plan for dealing with the system that is in crisis.