Healthcare thought

I was reading in a recent op-Ed and noticed that the new healthcare plan could cost more than 1 trillion (and there is uncertainity in that even) based on CBO analysis. Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive if the government would just insure all the american people that need it in the short term and instead invest in some sort of jobs training or education push? Recall that when Medicare was put in place it was predicted to cost $12 billion in 1990. The actual cost was $98 billion. We cannot afford this solution and remain the country that we are.