Since the 1940s, various U.S. Presidents have pushed for the passage of major pieces of legislation that would affect healthcare access and insurance coverage for Americans, with most failing to get the laws that they favored passed:

-Harry Truman attempted to enact universal healthcare immediately after World World Two, but Congress refused.

– Lyndon Johnson’s administration managed to successfully get Medicaid and Medicare passed, but a desire to achieve across-the-board healthcare reform remained out of reach.

-Richard Nixon tried to make it mandatory for all employers to provide insurance to employees, but this push came to an end with the Watergate Scandal and his subsequent resignation.

-Jimmy Carter was poised to pass major healthcare reform in the late 1970s, but infighting between his administration and the Democrats on the hill led by Ted Kennedy killed this attempt.

-Bill Clinton, with First Lady Hillary Clinton leading the charge, planned to get major healthcare reform passed in the early days of his administration, but was also unable to get Congress on board.

Due to these failures, there aren’t many historically vital presidential autographs attached to major healthcare reform bills, despite no shortage of signed documents revealing these men’s deep concerns for the average American citizen. One of the few notable exceptions to this trend was the relatively recent passage of a healthcare bill known as the Affordable Care Act during the administration of Barack Obama.

Understanding the ACA and its Future

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is known as one of President Obama’s most significant pieces of legislation that was passed into law. The law is so closely tied to President Obama’s efforts to get it passed that it is commonly referred to as Obamacare.

The purpose of the law is to increase access to affordable health insurance coverage by expanding Medicaid coverage to individuals whose income is below 138% of the Federal Poverty Line. This new law changed the way that Americans sign up for health insurance and how they pay for coverage as well. Users purchase insurance through an online exchange, and many qualify for Federal subsidies that can make it easier and more affordable to pay insurance premiums.

While the goal of the law is to increase access to health insurance coverage, the ACA is not without its detractors. In 2014, 4 years after its initial passage, news reports indicated that Americans were still unhappy with overall healthcare costs.

Some dissatisfaction with the law apparently remains, as the current President, Donald, J. Trump actively campaigned that he would work to repeal this major overhaul of insuring the healthcare industry. So far, the ACA remains intact, but the fate of Obamacare remains unknown.

Presidents Obama and Trump are not the only presidents who have held strong opinions on healthcare for Americans. Over the past several decades, many former presidents have voiced their concerns about the need to improve the access to affordable healthcare for citizens. Many of these prior presidents have written and signed scores of documents that likely contain insight into their true thoughts about American’s access to healthcare, and health insurance.

Understanding the History of Health Insurance Coverage in America

While there is some evidence that there were a few health insurance policies being offered as early as the Civil War, the concept of prepaying for medical expenses in order to receive discounted service did not really begin to grow until the late 1920s and early 1930s. With the discovery and widespread use of antibiotics, the growth of knowledge about the importance of clean and sanitary conditions in the treatment of illness and disease, are all factors that led to an increase in the use of hospitals and medical services. The concept of health insurance grew along with the increase in the use of medical services overall.

President Truman first President that Attempted Healthcare Legislation

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman became the first president to press for legislation that would give the Federal government a key role in Americans’ access to healthcare. Truman’s new national healthcare plan would have provided government funds to construct hospitals in low income areas, as well as pay to train and hire doctors, nurses, dentists and other healthcare professionals.

The government would also work to ensure that healthcare professionals, hospitals and doctors’ offices would meet certain standards and guidelines, to be overseen by a board of licensed medical professionals.

Truman also proposed the creation of an optional national health insurance plan, where Americans would pay reasonable, regular premiums for a policy that would help to pay for their healthcare. Truman’s proposed legislation faced heavy criticism, with critics saying that it was too socialist or communist in nature. He was unable to get enough votes in Congress to get it passed into law.

Today, many current members of President Truman’s political party, the Democrats, advocate similar policies, proposing legislation such as Medicare for all that would extend health care coverage to every citizen.

President Johnson Expands Social Security Act to Create Medicare and Medicaid

Another U.S. President who held firm beliefs about the need to increase American’s access to quality healthcare was President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1965, Johnson signed into law the legislation that created the Medicare and Medicaid programs. These programs extended health insurance coverage to Americans over the age of 65, and provided access to health care to low income Americans receiving welfare benefits.

History Stands Still for No One

As decades pass, Americans’ opinions and impressions about healthcare have evolved, as has its laws. History shows us that regardless of how Americans feel about this law now, and their access to healthcare and insurance coverage, their opinions will likely continue to grow, change and evolve. Legislation related to healthcare is likely to also continue to grow, change and evolve as well, whether or not President Trump succeeds in repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

Shift Frequency © 2017 – Passage of Laws Such as Healthcare Legislation