Around the world, many industrial countries have enacted a comprehensive health insurance program. The United States, however, has lagged behind these countries and has created one of the most fragmented systems. In 1965, one of the largest health care initiatives in U.S. history was launched. The United States enacted the Medicare program which provided federally organized health insurance for Americans aged 65 older or disabled. To achieve this victory, there were many stumbling blocks over the years. Politics, social, institutional and cultural forces influenced the development and passage of Medicare. During the 1880s in Europe, the concept of universal health care started but the United States didn’t take hold of the idea. Social welfare
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President Roosevelt focused on the unemployment crisis. The Depression changed the priorities of social reform with unemployment insurance as the leading priority rather than old-age and medical benefits. The Committee on Economic Security (CES) was formed and tasked to devise recommendations that would promote greater economic security. The CES developed the blueprint for the Social Security Act but the fear of the inclusion of health insurance, which was opposed by the AMA, the passage of the proposed legislation would fail. Therefore, Americans would have to continue to wait for a national health insurance program. FDR made an additional attempt to pass a national health insurance with the Wagner National Health Act of 1939 developed by the Tactical Committee on Medical Care. The act never materialized because the 1938 Congressional elections brought more conservatives into the House and Senate. Additionally, the act was not fully supported by the President and the AMA would not support the act unless the committee would agree to drop the compulsory health …show more content…
Congress tried to provide care to seniors with the Kerr-Mills program. It targeted the elderly poor and ran by the states; however, only five states actually participated and ultimately failed. Opposition was also seen because insurance was believed to be a right and the government shouldn’t “owe” medical care to anyone. With Kennedy winning the presidential election, he called for the enactment of measures to provide insurance for the elderly. After Kennedy’s assassination, Medicare legislation truly began to advance on a national state. The Civil Right Movement influenced with citizens demanding for freedom and equality. President Johnson focused on a Medicare plan that would be a compulsory hospital insurance program. The AMA and Republicans didn’t approve the compulsory insurance and proposed an “eldercare” plan that was voluntary and covered physician services. Therefore, the three-layer cake was devised after comprise and cooperation with doctors and hospitals. The Democratic proposal for comprehensive health insurance as Part A; Part B came from the Republican proposal of government subsidized voluntary physician insurance and Medicaid was an expansion of the Kerr-Mills but was no longer restricted to only the elderly poor. The middle-class was left out because insurance would be obtained through employers and the belief by many that
President Roosevelt focused on the unemployment crisis. The Depression changed the priorities of social reform with unemployment insurance as the leading priority rather than old-age and medical benefits. The Committee on Economic Security (CES) was formed and tasked to devise recommendations that would promote greater economic security. The CES developed the blueprint for the Social Security Act but the fear of the inclusion of health insurance, which was opposed by the AMA, the passage of the proposed legislation would fail. Therefore, Americans would have to continue to wait for a national health insurance program. FDR made an additional attempt to pass a national health insurance with the Wagner National Health Act of 1939 developed by the Tactical Committee on Medical Care. The act never materialized because the 1938 Congressional elections brought more conservatives into the House and Senate. Additionally, the act was not fully supported by the President and the AMA would not support the act unless the committee would agree to drop the compulsory health …show more content…
Congress tried to provide care to seniors with the Kerr-Mills program. It targeted the elderly poor and ran by the states; however, only five states actually participated and ultimately failed. Opposition was also seen because insurance was believed to be a right and the government shouldn’t “owe” medical care to anyone. With Kennedy winning the presidential election, he called for the enactment of measures to provide insurance for the elderly. After Kennedy’s assassination, Medicare legislation truly began to advance on a national state. The Civil Right Movement influenced with citizens demanding for freedom and equality. President Johnson focused on a Medicare plan that would be a compulsory hospital insurance program. The AMA and Republicans didn’t approve the compulsory insurance and proposed an “eldercare” plan that was voluntary and covered physician services. Therefore, the three-layer cake was devised after comprise and cooperation with doctors and hospitals. The Democratic proposal for comprehensive health insurance as Part A; Part B came from the Republican proposal of government subsidized voluntary physician insurance and Medicaid was an expansion of the Kerr-Mills but was no longer restricted to only the elderly poor. The middle-class was left out because insurance would be obtained through employers and the belief by many that