Health care. Health insurance. These are the topics of the week for the Obama administration and Congress.

Many congressional Democrats are uncomfortable with a single payer system that would allow government to compete with private insurers. They fear – and so do I – a government takeover with inferior service and rationed care.

I am intrigued by the proposal of a cooperative, much like farmers use when it comes to electricity. A co-op would stand between government and doctors and prevent government from taking over. The Obama administration says it will also consider doing something about malpractice lawsuits which have driven insurance costs for doctors out of sight, forcing them to pass these costs along to their patients.

Much can be done to reform health care without the heavy and inexperienced fist of big government crushing the finest care in the world. Hospitals could do a lot to cut costs, as demonstrated by a TV documentary based on the Toyota principles of W. Edward Demings. Look him up and be watchful when government says it’s here to help you with your health care.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.