Why Universal Healthcare Is Right for Today
Gary Ater
February 16, 2007
Back in 1993, the newly elected president selected his wife Hillary, as the Chairperson for developing a national health care program for the US. This was a key issue that Bill Clinton had campaigned on for his first presidential term. The first pass at "Hillary Care" as it was eventually referred to by the press, was a very complicated proposal and the first published version came to over 1,000 pages. It was introduced with great fan-fair, but after many months it was eventually abandoned by the new Democratic administration as a sinking ship.
What happened back then and why does Universal Healthcare seem more plausible today?
Yes, there was a desire in the early 90's for an overall US healthcare program. The strategic thinkers of that time understood the expected future need and warned that it was time to get serious about a comprehensive US healthcare plan. However, with the strong lobbying of the various insurance concerns, the pressure from the Republicans for their proposed plans and some immediate presidential issues such as the NAFTA agreement, and the Whitewater scandal, the proposal was eventually dropped from being first on the president's priority list. One must also remember that in 1994, there was an election and a political revolution that put the Republicans in control of both houses of congress. From the beginning of President Clinton's first term, as was expected, the Republicans did not want to support anything the new Democratic President proposed. Now in 1994, they had the power to defeat any new Democratic proposals, and especially one that had especially irritated the Republicans when the president awarded the Chairmanship of this key program to his unelected wife.
So why does it make sense today?
Just as the increased costs of energy and global warming have changed the public's awareness to the obvious need for becoming "energy independent", baby-boomers coming into retirement age and the vastly escalating healthcare cost are now causing the average citizens to sit up and take note. In addition, now that the previous "do nothing" Republican House and Senate majorities are again Democratically controlled, there is a strong drive and incentive for having the US join the other industrialized countries that offer its citizens Universal Healthcare. Under today's US healthcare program, (or lack of a program), those in the US without healthcare coverage, will wait until they are severely ill before they finally appear at a local hospital's Emergency Room door where by law, they cannot be turned away. This is the most expensive way to deal with healthcare support of any mass population. Other countries around the world have proven for years that taking a preventative approach while offering a universal healthcare program is the most efficient, and is the least costly to the tax payer, for managing healthcare issues.
Many people, born before WWII have argued that: "Back in my day, we didn't have medical coverage. When we got sick, we went to the doctor, then paid his bill and he even made house calls." Regarding the past, this is all true. However, the doctors back then carried a little black bag and didn't have the need for the millions of dollars of medical equipment and support needed by the doctors, hospitals and clinic's today. This is not to mention, all the costs of the insurance coverage's that every new doctor is required to have, even before he starts his new medical practice.
With the increasing US population (both US citizens and non-citizens) and the millions of "Boomers" starting to receive Social Security, the need for a comprehensive universal healthcare plan has now become imperative.
This is why the time in now ripe for a universal program of this importance.
What happened back then and why does Universal Healthcare seem more plausible today?
Yes, there was a desire in the early 90's for an overall US healthcare program. The strategic thinkers of that time understood the expected future need and warned that it was time to get serious about a comprehensive US healthcare plan. However, with the strong lobbying of the various insurance concerns, the pressure from the Republicans for their proposed plans and some immediate presidential issues such as the NAFTA agreement, and the Whitewater scandal, the proposal was eventually dropped from being first on the president's priority list. One must also remember that in 1994, there was an election and a political revolution that put the Republicans in control of both houses of congress. From the beginning of President Clinton's first term, as was expected, the Republicans did not want to support anything the new Democratic President proposed. Now in 1994, they had the power to defeat any new Democratic proposals, and especially one that had especially irritated the Republicans when the president awarded the Chairmanship of this key program to his unelected wife.
So why does it make sense today?
Just as the increased costs of energy and global warming have changed the public's awareness to the obvious need for becoming "energy independent", baby-boomers coming into retirement age and the vastly escalating healthcare cost are now causing the average citizens to sit up and take note. In addition, now that the previous "do nothing" Republican House and Senate majorities are again Democratically controlled, there is a strong drive and incentive for having the US join the other industrialized countries that offer its citizens Universal Healthcare. Under today's US healthcare program, (or lack of a program), those in the US without healthcare coverage, will wait until they are severely ill before they finally appear at a local hospital's Emergency Room door where by law, they cannot be turned away. This is the most expensive way to deal with healthcare support of any mass population. Other countries around the world have proven for years that taking a preventative approach while offering a universal healthcare program is the most efficient, and is the least costly to the tax payer, for managing healthcare issues.
Many people, born before WWII have argued that: "Back in my day, we didn't have medical coverage. When we got sick, we went to the doctor, then paid his bill and he even made house calls." Regarding the past, this is all true. However, the doctors back then carried a little black bag and didn't have the need for the millions of dollars of medical equipment and support needed by the doctors, hospitals and clinic's today. This is not to mention, all the costs of the insurance coverage's that every new doctor is required to have, even before he starts his new medical practice.
With the increasing US population (both US citizens and non-citizens) and the millions of "Boomers" starting to receive Social Security, the need for a comprehensive universal healthcare plan has now become imperative.
This is why the time in now ripe for a universal program of this importance.
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