Healthcare reform has become a major red button issue in Washington DC. Donald Trump’s failure to secure the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (known as ‘the ACA’, or ‘Obamacare’), as he had promised to do on the campaign trail, has bought the debate once again into stark focus. The public’s incredibly negative reaction to proposals floated so far regarding legislation to replace the ACA has forced a rethink on Capitol Hill and there is now a prevailing feeling that the goal posts have been shifted left by recent events. The idea of a single-payer healthcare system was unthinkable until recently but is now being openly discussed.
Former presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, is the current face of the push for single payer healthcare, but he is far from the first American politician to advocate for the idea. The United States has for a long time been an outlier amongst the developed nations of the world because it is the only one not to have a single-payer universal healthcare system.
The Truman Plan
Immediately following the second world war, the United Kingdom began introducing its own national health service. Meanwhile, President Truman proposed a new national healthcare program to Congress. However, the cold war changed the US perception of socialism and opponents of a universal healthcare system were able to play to people’s fears of socialized medicine. Ultimately, they were successful in dissuading Congress from pursuing the plan.
For many in the US, any mention of socialized medicine is still considered anathema. However, the mood among the American public has changed rapidly since the close of the cold war. With the rest of the world’s developed nations adopting universal healthcare programs since the end of world war two, the supremacy of such systems has been demonstrated.
Clash of Ideals
Many conservatives fear that the government is not capable of managing the nation’s healthcare needs and that private industry is better motivated and able to deliver services more efficiently, encouraged by competition. If the management of healthcare institutions as businesses is of interest to you, then consider studying for a Healthcare MBA. An online healthcare MBA offers a great way to study while working a job.
Democrats, on the other hand, favor the expansion of current government programs, with some advocating for a full switch to a universal healthcare system.
Current Conflict
Recently, the extremes of both parties have been on display and it looks like the ultimate showdown regarding healthcare legislation will be between whatever alternative to the ACA the GOP comes up with (assuming they don’t go with a repeal without a replacement bill ready) and the Medicare for all plan that Bernie Sanders is currently promoting.
The sea change in attitudes from all across the political spectrum, including both politicians and the American public, has meant that the debate is currently taking a form that many thought unthinkable. To even have single-payer healthcare on the table is a significant step. With the public now leaning towards favoring a universal healthcare system, it may only be a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality.
