This week Highmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield made an astonishing offer to certain members of Congress -- to stop charging higher premiums to sick people.

While the public at large expresses outrage at the cost of health insurance and bashes insurance companies for making obscene profits, nobody has taken into consideration the basic premise of insurance -- risk.

Since the purchase of health insurance is voluntary -- even at the group level -- insurance companies have long dealt with the problem of "adverse selection." That means that only the people who feel they will use the coverage buy it. Older individuals, people with medical conditions, those with children -- these are the people who buy health insurance. Younger individuals and those in good health just "assume the risk." They bet that they won't need it and don't spend the money.

The problem with this scenario is that a smaller group of individuals must carry the burden of paying for all of the medical treatment for those individuals who do use their coverage.

Ultimately, even those younger individuals who may need health services and have chosen not to purchase coverage are going to be covered in some way by hospitals who are required to provide services, etc.

If everybody was required to purchase health insurance -- even if they feel that won't use it -- the cost for all would be reduced substantially.

Blue Cross made this point with its recent offer. Now it's up to our elected officials to decide how to handle this situation. They can either 1) require the purchase of health insurance by all or 2) nationalize health insurance and we will all be required to foot the bill. Either way, it's going to cost money to provide health care for all Americans.

Personally, I would have this very important matter handled by health care professionals rather than by the Congress. Despite the costs of health insurance (for the reason outlined above) American doctors, nurses, hospitals, EMTs and other health care professionals are among the best in the world.

Universal health care is within our grasp. Now is the time for us all to let our elected officials know that the health care industry is making an effort to change. Grasp the hand they have offered and make this work for all of us.