- Jan 28, 2003
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What should we do if a poor person shows up at the hospital with a life-threatening condition that can be easily cured? Industrialized nations have long realized that it would not be ethical to let that person die. But how do we deal with the financial costs? Since WWII American presidents have tried to deal with that problem. Johnson tried, but could only get Medicare and Medicaid passed. Nixon passed a law that all emergency rooms must care for emergency conditions, regardless of the patient's ability to pay. The Clintons tried, but didn't get very far.
There was a time when almost all Americans had health insurance. Those who did not could still go to an emergency room. But now many Americans are uninsured. The result is long lines at emergency rooms, which is the only source of care for some people.
When the Clintons tried to reform heathcare, the Republicans had a counter-proposal where everybody would be mandated to buy health insurance. Neither the Clinton proposal nor the Republican proposal became law, but a few years later the Republican mandate plan became law under a Republican governor in Massachusetts (Romney). Obama was dedicated to reforming healthcare, and not having the political might to pass the Democratic plan, he compromised to a version of the Republican mandate plan, now commonly called "Obamacare".
That plan is, of course, very controversial. So what should we do about "Obamacare"?
There was a time when almost all Americans had health insurance. Those who did not could still go to an emergency room. But now many Americans are uninsured. The result is long lines at emergency rooms, which is the only source of care for some people.
When the Clintons tried to reform heathcare, the Republicans had a counter-proposal where everybody would be mandated to buy health insurance. Neither the Clinton proposal nor the Republican proposal became law, but a few years later the Republican mandate plan became law under a Republican governor in Massachusetts (Romney). Obama was dedicated to reforming healthcare, and not having the political might to pass the Democratic plan, he compromised to a version of the Republican mandate plan, now commonly called "Obamacare".
That plan is, of course, very controversial. So what should we do about "Obamacare"?