1901-2009 Failed Un-Democratic Health Care Reform Efforts in the U.S.
Sean
Corrupted Two-Party Political System that has repeatedly refused to honour
it's sworn duty to the US Constituion and The People of America
"For the first time in US history, House votes to provide quality,
affordable health insurance for all Americans November 7, 2009."
=========================================
ONE POLL REPORT of THOUSANDS of Polls that say the exact same thing for over
30+ years .. in some cases 100 Years
THURSDAY, Aug. 7 2008 (HealthDay News)
Most Americans Want Health Care Reform
The vast majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the U.S. health care
system, and 82 percent think it needs to be overhauled, a new survey found.
"There is a broad view by the public that our health care system needs a
full overhaul, either to be totally rebuilt or reformed," said Cathy Schoen,
senior vice president for research and evaluation at The Commonwealth Fund,
which commissioned the survey.
The survey, titled Public Views on U.S. Health Care System Organization: A
Call for New Directions, questioned 1,004 adults on their views of the U.S.
health care system.
Schoen thinks the survey clearly indicates that Americans want better
organized care. "Also, having a regular doctor who is available to see you,
getting timely referrals, and having more affordable care are important to
people," she said.
90% Nine out of 10 people surveyed said the presidential candidates should
propose reforms that would improve the quality of health care, ensure that
all Americans have affordable care, and reduce the number of uninsured.
80% Eight in 10 people said they supported efforts to improve health care
performance, access, quality and cost. For example, one in three said their
doctors ordered tests that had already been done or recommended unnecessary
treatment.
Most of the people surveyed [who did have Insurance / HMO coverage]
expressed frustration with the way their health care was managed. For
instance, 47 percent said their health care was poorly coordinated;
90% Nine of 10 people said it was important that they have one place or one
doctor responsible for their primary care and coordination of all their
care. And, 90% , nine of 10 wanted easier access to their medical records.
73% Seventy-three percent said they had difficulty getting a doctor
appointment, phone advice, or after-hours care without going to the
emergency department.
Among insured patients, 26 percent said it was hard to get same- or next-day
appointments when they were sick, and 39 percent said it was difficult to
reach their doctors by phone when they needed them.
Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard
Medical School and co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program,
thinks Americans are being ill served, given the amount of money spent on
health care in the United States.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/07/AR2008080701576.html
- How many "polls" do people need to run, or to discount before the penny
drops about *what is* --- ???
====================================
I am going to start at 1900 and work my way up to 2009 - but DO pay
attention to the History as it was in the 1970's ie 30+ Years ago
==================
In 1901, AMA reorganizes as the national organization of state and local
associations. Membership increases from about 8,000 physicians in 1900 to
70,000 in 1910 -- half the physicians in the country. This period is the
beginning of "organized medicine."
Doctors are no longer expected to provide free services to all hospital
patients.
America lags behind European countries in finding value in insuring against
the costs of sickness.
Railroads are the leading industry to develop extensive employee medical
programs.
1910's
American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL) organizes first national
conference on "social insurance".
Progressive reformers argue for health insurance, seems to be gaining
support.
NOTE :::
Opposition from physicians and other interest groups undermine reform
effort.
****************************************************
1920's
Reformers now emphasize the cost of medical care instead of wages lost to
sickness - the relatively higher cost of medical care is a new and dramatic
development, especially for the middle class.
Growing cultural influence of the medical profession - physicians' incomes
are higher and prestige is established.
Rural health facilities are clearly inadequate.
General Motors signs a contract with Metropolitan Life to insure 180,000
workers.
1930's
Push for health insurance within the Roosevelt Administration, but politics
begins to be influenced by internal government conflicts over priorities.
Against the advice of insurance professionals, Blue Cross begins offering
private coverage for hospital care in dozens of states.
1940's
Prepaid group healthcare begins, seen as radical.
During the 2nd World War, wage and price controls are placed on American
employers. To compete for workers, companies begin to offer health benefits,
giving rise to the employer-based system in place today.
NOTE::
President Roosevelt asks Congress for "economic bill of rights," including
right to adequate medical care.
***************************
NOTE::
President Truman offers national health program plan, proposing a single
system that would include all of American society.
NOTE::
Truman's plan is denounced by the American Medical Association (AMA) , and
is called a Communist plot by a House subcommittee.
**************************************
1950's
At the start of the decade, national health care expenditures are 4.5
percent of the Gross National Product. [ Now in 2007/08 16% - and still not
all citizens have access to basic health care ]
Attention turns to Korea and away from health reform; America will have a
system of private insurance for those who can afford it and welfare services
for the poor.
Federal responsibility for the sick poor is firmly established.
Many legislative proposals are made for different approaches to hospital
insurance, but none succeed.
Many more medications are available now to treat a range of diseases,
including infections, glaucoma, and arthritis, and new vaccines become
available that prevent dreaded childhood diseases, including polio [ and
provided free to all Citizens irrespective of wealth].
In the 1950s, the price of hospital care doubled.
1960's
The number of doctors reporting themselves as full-time specialists grows
from 55% in 1960 to 69%.
Over 700 insurance companies selling health insurance. Those outside the
workplace, especially the elderly, have difficulty affording insurance.
Concern about a "doctor shortage" and the need for more "health manpower"
leads to federal measures to expand education in the health professions.
Major medical insurance endorses high-cost medicine.
President Lyndon Johnson signs Medicare and Medicaid into law.
"Compulsory Health Insurance" advocates are no longer optimistic'.
1970's
REPUBLICAN President Richard Nixon renames prepaid group health care plans
as health maintenance organizations (HMOs), with legislation that provides
federal
endorsement, certification, and assistance.
Healthcare costs are escalating rapidly, partially due to unexpectedly high
Medicare expenditures, rapid inflation in the economy, expansion of hospital
expenses and profits, and changes in medical care including greater use of
technology, medications, and conservative approaches to treatment.
NOTE::
President Nixon's plan for national health insurance rejected by liberals &
labor unions, but his "War on Cancer" centralizes research at the NIH.
******************************************************
American medicine is now seen as in crisis!
American medicine is now seen as in crisis!
American medicine is now seen as in crisis!
Just in case anyone misses this point about the 1970's - over 30 years
ago --------- American medicine is now seen as in crisis!
*******************************************
1980's
Corporations begin to integrate the hospital system (previously a
decentralized structure).
Corporations enter many other healthcare-related businesses, and consolidate
control.
Overall, there is a shift toward privatization and corporatization of
healthcare.
Under President Reagan, Medicare shifts to payment by diagnosis (DRG)
instead of by treatment. Private plans quickly follow suit.
Growing complaints by insurance companies that the traditional
fee-for-service method of payment to doctors is being exploited.
"Capitation" payments to doctors become more common.
1990's
Health care costs rise at double the rate of inflation.
Expansion of managed care [ HMO's] helps to moderate increases in health
care costs.
Federal health care reform legislation fails again to pass in the U.S.
Congress.
Explosion inthe use of SSRI's anti-depression & anxiety type medications -
highly promoted throughout the media and talk-shows as to how *great* these
new medications are for people @ $180+ per month avg
By the end of the decade there are 44 million Americans, 16 % of the nation,
with no health insurance at all.
2000's
Health care costs are on the rise again.
Medicare is viewed by some as unsustainable under the present structure and
must be "rescued".
Changing demographics of the workplace lead many to believe the
employer-based system of insurance can't last - ie BROKEN DOWN and
Unsustainable under any measure.
Direct-to-consumer advertising for pharmaceuticals and medical devices is on
the rise. Why? Because as everyone knows - *advertising works* - if it
didn't then who would use it?
=========================
A Brief History of Reform Efforts in the U.S.
Health care costs seem uncontrollable while 46 million Americans remain
uninsured.
Millions more are under-insured-and even more worry that they
are under-insured.
The quality of health care is in question as more come to realize that the
U.S. does not lead the world in the health of its people.
The country has been on the verge of national health reform many times
before however. In the early 1900s, smaller proposals began to pave the way.
Over the years the American public, as measured in opinion polls as far back
as the 1930s, has generally been supportive of the goals of guaranteed
access to health care and health insurance for all, as well as a government
role in health financing.
As the nation prepares for the next opportunity, this issue brief highlights
the major national health reform efforts that were undertaken in the 1900s.
It describes the economic and political context in which each reform was
forwarded and the key reasons it failed to achieve universal coverage.
1934-1939 NHI and the New Deal
1945-1950 NHI and the Fair Deal
1960-1965 The Great Society: Medicare and Medicaid
1970-1974 Competing NHI Proposals
1976-1979 Cost-Containment Trumps NHI
1992-1994 The Health Security Act
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/7871.pdf
=========================
2008
Senator Barack Obama promises as a MAJOR plank of his campaign for president
that major health care reforms where all Americans gain access to affordable
Health Insurance and the denial of Insurance Coverage to be stopped across
the Board, if elected.
Obama does get elected in a Massive Landslide MAJORITY against the GOP
giving him a CLEAR democratic mandate to implement his campaign policies,
which included a Public Option Insurance Plan, with the help of the NEW
Democrat majority in the Congress.
================
Few See U.S. Health Care as 'Best in the World'
July 24, 2009
Most Americans rate the nation's health care as no better than average when
compared with health care in other industrialized countries. - about
six-in-ten (59%) view U.S. health care as either "average" (32%) or "below
average" (27%).
The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press' May 2009 study found
that health care receives relatively poor ratings compared with other major
U.S. institutions and systems.
About eight in-ten (82%) say either that the U.S. military is the best in
the world (42%) or that it is above average (39%). Majorities also rate the
nation's scientific achievements (65%) and standard of living (63%) as
either the best in the world or above average, while half (50%) say this
about the U.S. political system.
================
Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
October 14, 2009
.. this introduction drove home to me quite clearly how much the role of
public opinion had changed over the years. Polls now provide leaders with
capital or impoverish them in their efforts to promote policies. Those who
can back up their assertions by pointing to poll results find the going
easier than leaders who cannot. In turn, news organizations cover policy
initiatives differently when programs appear to have popular support
compared with when they do not. As a result, the public has become a more
important player in national affairs over the past three decades. It is not
possible to find a major national policy initiative for which polling has
not played a significant, even critical, role.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1379/polling-history-influence-policymaking-politics
==================
Today - Millions of poorly equipped misguided, obviously ill-informed and
ignorant Souls in the USA still believe that there has NOT been a CLEAR
Majority of American's seeking and wanting and repeatedly asking , nay at
times BEGGING, for major health care reform for the last 30 years.
But each time the Health care system issue has arisen as a "crisis" topic,
only a small part of the systemic problems and shortcomings and
un-affordability of the 'majority' of American citizens has only been
addressed in a piece-meal fashion.
All of these fix-its or promises have later shown to have been a failure and
not adequately funded, monitored, nor truly helping to resolve the
underlaying core issues that have been around since the 1900's and what
finally becoame undeniable in the 1970's being *American medicine is now
seen as in crisis!* -- and it has only gotten progressively worse.
Amazing but true!
==================
REFERENCES
PBS - SICK AROUND AMERICA
http://video.pbs.org/video/1099857730
http://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/history.htm
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/7871.pdf
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/25/3/872
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_health_care_plan_of_1993
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1293/health-care-public-gives-lukewarm-rating-to-american-system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicko
Majority back Obama on health care reform: poll
(AFP) - Aug 4, 2009 - Fifty-two percent of 2,276 US adults surveyed online
by Harris Interactive between July 9 and 13 said they were in favor of a
government-run health plan, while just 30 percent were against.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hlTYMW3D6YD6cehWzTUWCJtIFe6g
Americans willing to fund healthcare reform: poll
Wed Sep 30, 2009
- Most Americans would pay higher taxes to fund healthcare reforms that
provide the best quality of care, but only a minority expects Washington to
deliver it, according to a survey released on Wednesday.
The telephone survey of 3,003 U.S. adults conducted by Thomson Reuters found
63 percent willing to pay for healthcare reform
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-HealthcareReform/idUSTRE58T0MY20090930
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THE LATEST ??????
November 20, 2009
New Poll: Voters back, but also fear, health reform
Americans are intently following Congress' health care debate, backing
reforms but fearing what the price tag will be, according to a new national
survey by Angus Reid Public Opinion.
The poll of 1,005 American adults found 75 percent following the health care
debate closely, although 20 percent have no opinion on the reform plan
passed by the House earlier this month.
Among those who have opinions, 41 percent of Americans support the House
bill - a very different plan may pass the Senate - while 39 percent oppose
it. Democrats (62 percent) and Independents (48 percent) give at least
qualified approval, while 70 percent of Republicans give it thumbs down.
A slim majority, 51 percent of those surveyed, fear that the House bill
could increase the cost of health care in America: Just 15 percent think
prices will go down, although a major goal of the bill is to give health
insurers some competition.
On individual issues, however, the public is pro-reform. A sampling:
a.. 89 percent would forbid insurance companies from cutting off coverage
after a person becomes sick;
a.. 77 percent support providing subsidies so that low and middle-income
American can buy insurance.
a.. 83 percent would prohibit health insurance companies from refusing
coverage based on a patient's medical history.
a.. 80 percent would prohibit health insurers from charging different rates
based on a patient's gender.
a.. 84 percent would limit how much people can be charged for out-of-pocket
expenses.
Just over half of those surveyed - 52 percent - support the so-called public
option, a government-run insurance plan that would provide an alternative to
private insurance plans.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/185853.asp
GO FIGURE ................ How dumb do people have to get, before it is OK
and accepteable to speak out and say "Hey, you guys are really Dumb!"
<shrug>
There is no excuse for ignorance today - it is 2009 - the facts are out
there, the truth surely will set you free!