Healthcare in the U.S.

Did you know?

Healthcare wasn’t always available to everyone. Hospital and medical expense policies were introduced during the first half of the 20th century. During the 1920s, individual hospitals began offering services to individuals on a pre-paid basis, eventually leading to the development of Blue Cross organizations in the 1930s. The first employer-sponsored hospitalization plan was created by teachers in Dallas, Texas in 1929. Because the plan only covered members’ expenses at a single hospital, it is also the forerunner of today’s health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

Because of enforced wage control by the U.S. government during World War II, employer backed health care grew dramatically. In President Harry S. Truman’s address on November 19^th, he advised a system of public health insurance.

— “He envisioned a national system that would be open to all Americans, but would remain optional. Participants would pay monthly fees into the plan, which would cover the cost of any and all medical expenses that arose in a time of need. The government would pay for the cost of services rendered by any doctor who chose to join the program.” (Wikipedia)

The elderly, poor, and unemployed still found themselves unable to afford private insurance and before 1965 only half of seniors had coverage. Those that did have coverage at the time paid three times as much as young adults despite differences in income. Knowing that this problem needed to be remedied, President Lyndon B. Johnson endorsed the Medicare and Medicaid programs, putting them into action and helping the less fortunate get covered in 1965. Later Medicare would also spread to cover the disabilities end-stage renal disease and ALS.

                In a more recent turn of events, the Affordable Health Care act, also known as Obamacare, was put into action in 2010. Popular opinion of the ACA is that it was perhaps the greatest overhaul of the US healthcare system because it would provide coverage for over 95% of Americans. A key feature of the act would be that adults with pre-existing conditions would be covered, which is a reform that had never been introduced before. (See History of the ACA for more information.)

                 Healthcare has changed drastically over the years and continues to do so to this day, and while it does not always change to meet every person’s needs, it has helped most of the population get the care that they require. It is important to keep up to date on the healthcare marketplace as plans can change or a more suitable plan may arise. There are many places that offer aid in finding the best plan to suit you, whether you’re single-person household or a bustling family of five. Don’t fall behind, get educated and get covered! Visit HealthCare.gov to see what plans are available to you.