The Issue Of Health Care

41 million Americans did not have health insurance in 2001. In 2004, the number rose to 45 million. And in 2005, 47 million people were living without health care. On the other hand, 84% of Americans had health care in 2005 according to a census. So what is wrong with America's health care?

This program has been an idea circulating around the American political system since the early decades of the twentieth century. Since then the concept has been stigmatized as a left-wing liberal view. However, many people do not know that the lack of public health insurance in the United States stems from a heavy racism within our country and the concept of conserving the “southern way of life”. In the early twentieth century Southern legislators had a great influence in the Supreme Court. With 17 southern states, the south had the ability to block any legislation of their choosing (23) They had considerable control over the house and senate and adopted many new programs that increased the power of white Americans in the south. Congress began to design policies that were racially based and excluded African Americans. Health services throughout the United States adopted new forms of racial segregation as well. Many white Americans were not in favor of the idea of public health care because it meant hospital integration. President Truman took a unique stance on public health insurance and tied the movement into the civil rights movement. Race relations and health insurance were woven together. Opposition to healthcare was seen as a way of promoting segregation. The American Medical Association played an important part in stopping America from adopting national healthcare. Their opposition was due to their

Prior to this shift, government involvement in health insurance services was minimal since it seemed to be under control by the non-profit sector. There didn’t seem to be an urgent need to control or universalize health care at the time. The government’s first interest in the health care industry sparked when employers began providing health care benefits as a competitive advantage for recruiting workers back into the workforce during World War II. To help cope with the rising unemployment rates, the government would offer tax incentives to employers providing these benefits. (add Quote)

Health care spending in the United States of America as a percentage of the economy has reached astonishing heights, equating to 17.7 percent. This number is shocking when compared to other counties; in Australia health care is 8.9 percent, in United Kingdom 9.4 percent, in Canada 11.2 percent. If the American health care system were to hypothetically become its own economy, it would be the fifth-largest in the world. While these statistics sound troubling, they lead us to look for answers about the problems surrounding our system. The first health insurance company was created in the 1930s to give all American families an equal opportunity for hospital care and eventually led to a nationwide economic and social controversy that erupted in the 1990s and continued to be shaped by the government, insurance companies, doctors, and American citizens. In this paper, I will go in to detail about the various opinions regarding the controversy, the history behind health insurance companies, and the main dilemmas brought out by the health care crisis. Greedy insurance companies combined with high costs of doctor visits and pharmaceutical drugs or the inefficient hospitals all over America can only describe the beginning to this in depth crisis. Recently, the United States health care industry has become know for the outrageous costs of insurance models, developments of various social and health services programs, and the frequent changes in medicinal technology.

In 1943, Senator Murray, Edward Wagner and Congress man Dingell introduced the United States National Health Insurance bill, the acting president at the time, Roosevelt, did not endorse the bill but was supportive(5). The National Health Insurance wasn’t a new concept. In 1883, Otto von Bismark introduced an obligatory health insurance program(6). Its’ success expanded the concept of social insurance in Europe and America. Without official endorsement by the president and with the war still going on, the Wagner-Murray-Dingell bill died in committee.

One of the great hypocrisies of American culture is found in its health care system. The United States claims in its Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal” and that all of these men have the inalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet this is the same country that allows over 120 people to die each day because they are uninsured. How can this nation claim that all are created equal and have a right to life when they deny healthcare to those who cannot afford it? This issue has come on the scene relatively soon, having only truly been discussed beginning in the early 20th century. Since that time, a fear of socialism stemming from tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union throughout the century has placed a stigma on the concept of universal health care because it is similar to the Soviet’s socialized medicine. In recent years, President Obama made great strides toward universal health care by passing the Affordable Care Act, but some would argue that while America is on the right track, more can be done to care for the nation’s poor. Others argue that the economic impact of such policies could cause problems for America. Though creating a universal health care system has complex logistical and economic consequences, health care is an internationally acknowledged human right and should not be denied to the American people.

Health insurance began in the 1930’s when the Great Depression hit the United States. After the great depression it became very noticeable that health coverage was needed to protect the people and get them the health care treatment they needed. Too many people were dying of sickness and not able to afford the treatment. It wasn’t until the government tried to create some type of insurance to help with these costs. Medicare was created in 1965 for the elderly citizens. At that time there was also commercial and private insurance for Americans. “For years, clinicians have advocated for health insurance coverage for all Americans. Now, through the Affordable Care Act, the nation is one step closer to this goal. October 1, 2013, marks the

The health care system in the United States is one of the greatest concerns facing Americans today and is an issue both moral and economic in nature. Some think the system should stay, for all intents and purposes, the same. They believe that the right to healthcare is a stepping stone toward socialism, and that it is the responsibility of the individual to obtain health care. These are usually the more ideologically conservative citizens and politicians who believe that medicine should remain a free enterprise, not to be constrained by government interference. Then there are those who believe that healthcare is a right, and the federal government has a responsibility to make sure it is available to all citizens, not just those who can afford

During the beginning of this era, reformers had the support of President Theodore Roosevelt who thoroughly believed “that no country could be strong whose people were sick and poor”. In 1915, a bill was proposed by the American Association of Labor Legislation (AALL) that limited coverage to working class individuals whose annual income was less than $1200 a year and included hospital services, sick pay, maternity benefits, and funeral expenses (Palmer, 1999). This system was believed to “relieve poverty caused by sickness” and would “yield a net savings for society” that would benefit not only citizens but businesses as well (Toland, 2014). Opinions on the AALL bill were mixed. The American Medical Association (AMA) was included in the formulation of the bill, leading them to create a committee whose entire aim was to assist the AALL but a disagreement over physician payment led the AMA to redact their support (Palmer, 1999). The American Federation of Labor continuously spoke against universal health care, fearing that it would result in complete state supervision over citizen’s health and would undermine current worker unions and the benefits they provided. Within all of this was also the strong opposition of the private insurance industry which, oddly enough, rested on the inclusion of death benefits in the AALL bill which had

Healthcare didn’t always exist in the United States. Before the 1920’s, most people didn’t have health coverage. Most people were treated at home and hardly anyone, except a few large employers offered healthcare. Everyone else paid out of pocket. As the population shifted from rural areas to urban centers, families lived in smaller homes with less room to care for sick family members (Faulkner 1960, p. 509). Increasing requirements for licensing and accreditation, in addition to a rising demand for medical care, eventually led to rising costs. By the end of 1920s, there was an increased demand for medical care and the costs of medical care increased.

Currently, the issue of health insurance has been a bone of contention for the public regarding whether the United States government should provide this health plan or not. People often possess different perspectives and refer to pros and cons on both sides of the spectrum. While some believes a universal healthcare system will set a foundation for a lower quality of service, increasing governmental finance deficit, and higher taxes, others do not hold the same thought. A universal healthcare system brings enormous advantages rather than disadvantages, such as all-inclusive population coverage, convenient accessibility, low time cost, and affordable medical cost, all of which not only provide minimum insurance to the disadvantaged but also improve the efficiency of medical resources distribution.

Throughout the first part of the 20th century there was little effort to promote health insurance, but in the second half of the 20th century healthcare became a major concern. Once, Medicare and Medicaid were introduced in 1965 the government along with its citizens took a major step in the progression of healthcare. From then, there was a shift in the privatization of healthcare. This forced many of the lower class to be without health insurance. In 1993, President Clinton with the best of in intentions failed at establishing a universal healthcare system in the United States. Finally in 2006, Massachusetts passed a law that would provide healthcare coverage for all of its state residents. In 2010 the

The health care industry exist to provide preventative measures, diagnose health conditions, repair, and provide services to improve the quality of life. The cost of health care continues to rise each year. Health care fraud is a factor that continues to plague the health care industry. The affect health care fraud has on hospitals, is the increasing cost of medical services. The following research will examine and evaluate how organizational structure and governance, culture and the lack of focus on social responsibility affects on health care fraud. The following research will also include recommendations for prevention of health care fraud, recommendations for

The healthcare system plays a key role in the economic stability of our country, as every year trillions are spent in attempt to combat disease and health issues that plaque humanity. As it makes up a significant amount of the expenditures in the economy, so the costs associated with health care of those in pain from illness and injury, including lost productivity, increased need of assistance in living and also the cost of death in some cases, is important to the economic stability and over all standard of living in our country. The key to economic prosperity is balancing the need for care with the costs of illness to keep as many people healthy and well without breaking the bank of collective society. The costs of healthcare have been increasingly problematic in recent years with so many issues surrounding the current system. With the “total health care spending in the United States expected to reach $4.8 trillion in 2021, up from $2.6 trillion in 2010 and $75 billion in 1970, meaning that health care spending will account for nearly 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), or one-fifth of the U.S. economy, by 2021” (Aetna). With this in mind it is apparent that as we look at the trillion-dollar industry of the medical community it seems that it needs to be a major focus of our nation as a whole and with the many issues come many creative solutions. First let us analyze the reasons behind the current cost and the major problems facing this industry and than discus what

The debate on whether or not health care is an inalienable right has been discussed since the late 1800’s. During the reformer and progressive era the federal government took little to know interest in reforming the health regime in America. The choice was given to the individual states to decide on what the best method would be. This is when the states ultimately left the health care side of politics to private and voluntary programs. Up until 1915 health care was not a discussion worth while to the federal government. Theodore Roosevelt believed every