Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered two pieces of positive news for improving access to health care in Vermont and this country. Handing the system over to the government might not be the right answer for the U.S. health care crisis, but the feds have a role to play when the current system falls short.

That's what both of these programs are about. One supports health centers in underserved areas, while the second seeks to extend health care access to every child in the nation.

As health care spiral ever higher, there's a growing recognition that government can help take some of the cost pressures off employers who currently provide the bulk of the insurance coverage. Entire industries, such as automakers, say the cost of providing health insurance to workers is one of the major competitive disadvantages they face in the global market.

In Plainfield on Thursday, Sanders announced that The Health Center, a local group of doctors, dentists and other health professionals, was designated the state's sixth "federally qualified health center," making it eligible for money under the program designed to deliver health care to rural and other underserved areas. The clinic was awarded $567,000, the first of annual grants to be used for preventive and primary health care.

On Tuesday, Vermont's independent senator announced he will introduce a bill that would extend health care access to every child in the nation. Marian Wright Edelman, director of the Children's Defense Fund in Washington, described Vermont's health care programs for children as better than most, but added the proposed law would provide coverage to another 8,000 children without health insurance. The proposal includes dental coverage, a key element in preventive health care for children.

Both programs come with modest price tags in the context of the multi-trillion-dollar federal budget. Sanders' announcement Thursday included news that Congress approved $500 million for the qualified health center program in addition to the $1.9 billion already budgeted. The senator estimates the tab for the children's insurance program at $14 billion.

Putting money into programs such as these that promote preventive care is also a wise investment. People who receive regular check-ups, seek early treatment or manage their chronic diseases are, in the long run, less likely to require costly care later.

This kind of program targets needs that aren't being met by the economist's invisible hand. The markets might someday find a better solution than taxpayer-supported health care, but until that time the government has a strong case for stepping in.