"On Capitol Hill, partisan divides formed as many Democrats pressed for guaranteed insurance coverage for a broader swath of Americans while Republicans, buttressed by medical industry lobbying, warned about cost and a slide into communism. The year was 1945 and the new Democratic president, Harry Truman, tried and failed to persuade Congress to enact a comprehensive national health care program, a defeat Truman described as the disappointment of his presidency that "troubled me the most.""
"Since then, 13 presidents have struggled with the same basic questions about the government's role in health care, where spending now makes up nearly 18% of the U.S. economy. The fraught politics of health care are on display again this month as millions of people face a steep rise in costs after the Republican-controlled Congress allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire."
Partisan conflict over the government's role in U.S. health care has persisted since 1945 when President Harry Truman failed to enact comprehensive national health insurance. Thirteen presidents have since grappled with the same questions as health spending grew to nearly 18% of GDP. Recent expiration of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies has triggered steep cost increases for millions and reignited long-standing debates. Republicans emphasize cost concerns and propose expanding health savings accounts, backed by medical industry lobbying. Democrats note a lack of Republican alternatives over 15 years and argue proposed HSA-focused measures would not reduce overall health care costs.
Read at Fast Company
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]