{"id":139068,"date":"2025-01-08T10:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T14:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=139068"},"modified":"2025-01-08T15:53:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T19:53:16","slug":"right-to-healthcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/right-to-healthcare\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right to Healthcare in the US: A Brief Timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Should everyone have the right to healthcare, or is it a privilege? How has the idea of healthcare in the US evolved over the years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The top cause of bankruptcy in the US is healthcare-related debt. According to a KFF survey<\/a>, most US adults worry about paying for health care, whether they\u2019re financially comfortable or struggling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what the healthcare system looked like in the past and a glimpse of what might come in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A History of US Healthcare<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The idea of healthcare as a right in the US traces back to the early 20th century. In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Party endorsed social insurance, including health insurance<\/a>, as part of their platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt included the right to adequate medical care in his proposed Economic Bill of Rights, laying the groundwork for future discussions on the fundamental right to healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-World War II <\/strong>Changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman proposed a national health program to Congress<\/a>. Though the American Medical Association (AMA) denounced it as \u201cCommunist,\u201d his effort paved the way for future healthcare initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medicare and Medicaid<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A breakthrough came in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Medicare and Medicaid Act<\/a>. This legislation provided healthcare coverage to the elderly and those with low incomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Developments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1971, Senator Ted Kennedy introduced the Health Security Act<\/a>, calling for healthcare coverage for all US citizens and documented permanent residents. While this bill didn\u2019t pass, it fueled ongoing discussions about healthcare as a right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)<\/a>. Though it didn\u2019t establish healthcare as an explicit right, the ACA greatly expanded Americans\u2019 access to health insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key changes since then include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Implementation of healthcare provisions in President Biden\u2019s Inflation Reduction Act<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n