How government adds to the ranks of the uninsured

While politicians debate how best to cover the growing ranks of the uninsured, the federal government quietly is adding to those numbers by outsourcing service jobs. Under a 1965 law called the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act, most contractors with service contracts of more than $2,500 are required to pay locally prevailing wages, plus fringe benefits or the cash equivalent. But some contract employees don't get either the health insurance or the extra cash.