Health Care and Public Reform

Health Care Reform and Public Policy

BGMT366

Spring Semester

Introduction

Health care reform is at the forefront of the United States. This topic is being debated

by many citizens as it relates to if this is a good option for US citizens. Many argue

the pro’s and con’s of the public health care option. I will discuss the public policy

and health care as well as the pros and cons.

History

Public health care did not begin when a law was singed by President Barack Obama in

2010. In Canada and many European countries free health care is guaranteed. The first

insurance plans began in during the Civil War. The first group that issued health

insurance policies were Massachutes Health Insurance of Boston in 1847. Most

large insurance companies did not come about until the 1940’s.

(www.neurosurgical.com) Government plans did not begin until the 1950’s and

Medicare and Medicaid were not put into effect until 1965. The programs were

originally funded mostly by private sources. By 1995 taxpayer’s were paying for

half of the costs associated with these programs. In the 1980’s and 1990’s many

plans switched from “fee for service” to managed care. In 2010, President Obama

signed a health care bill providing universal health care to all United States Citizens.

Summary

The health care bill was passed through congress with a vote of 219 to 212 with every

Republican voting no towards the bill. (Washington Post, 22, March 2010). The total

cost will be $940 billion dollars over ten years and would cover 32 million uninsured

Americans.

The uninsured and self employed would be required to purchased insurance

through state based exchanges...