Government Health Care--Here to Stay

Ok, boys and girls, time for another poli. sci. lecture from Dr. Roy.

The hardest part of the policy-making process is “getting on the agenda.”  A problem may exist for decades but no bills are introduced, no action is taken.  At some point, the problem is recognized, but it may take additional years for the issue to become part of a public debate.

The problem of health care has long been recognized.  European countries led the way, but by the Truman administration, many U.S. politicians understood that health care in the U.S. was woefully lacking.  

Nixon took a shot at a health plan, as did Clinton, but it wasn’t until the Obama administration that the U.S. was able to enact legislation.  The Affordable Health Care act has many flaws, but literally millions of people, many of them young and poor, now have health care because of it.

This means that health care is firmly on the agenda.  I note that “Doc” Moylan, the Tea Party candidate running against Congressman Matt Cartwright, says he wants to replace the Affordable Health Care Act.  He wants to keep that part about existing preconditions.  He wants to keep that part about staying on your parents’ plan until 26.

Even Mitch McConnell, representing a state with dramatic increases in coverage, is now saying he does not want to repeal the law completely.

Congress may tinker with the program and may even take a symbolic vote to repeal it, but government-assisted health care is here to stay.  Get used to it.