2008 Woodie Awards
Health care takes a back seat in the election
Issue date: 10/9/08
Two years ago, Americans couldn't get enough of the health care debate. With Massachusetts leading the way to universal coverage, health care dominated the headlines. Forty-seven million uninsured, staggering U.S. expenditures on medical technology and lagging U.S. health statistics were disturbingly familiar, and it seemed certain that America was on its way to health care reform.
So what happened?
Right in the middle of our attempt to fix the "broken system," health care lost its momentum, much as it did in the 1990s with Hillary Clinton's failed attempt to revolutionize it. In both cases, huge movements swiftly lost their authority and eventually faded into the background, leaving Americans to deal with the ever increasing costs of health care. It seems that, despite the perpetual health care calamity in America, every time we get close to making some progress, health care disappears from the headlines.
Health care has once again taken a back seat in the 2008 election, despite the fact that recently published reports show that access to health care remains a considerable problem for more American families than ever before. Indeed, the Center for Studying Health System Change recently disclosed that almost one in five families struggled to pay medical bills last year; Twenty percent of those having problems even considered declaring personal bankruptcy. Nor is the issue limited to those without medical insurance. Reports indicate that of the 57 million Americans under pressure, 43 million have some form of insurance. The health care crisis is far from over, yet real reform is not even on the horizon.
Why is it so hard to get the ball rolling on health care? It's not because Americans don't want health care reform. While the issue has slipped behind the financial crisis and the Iraq war in the current election, it remains firmly in the top three issues among all demographics. Nor is it for lack of ideas. Over the years myriad diverse plans have been proposed by Republicans and Democrats alike.
So what happened?
Right in the middle of our attempt to fix the "broken system," health care lost its momentum, much as it did in the 1990s with Hillary Clinton's failed attempt to revolutionize it. In both cases, huge movements swiftly lost their authority and eventually faded into the background, leaving Americans to deal with the ever increasing costs of health care. It seems that, despite the perpetual health care calamity in America, every time we get close to making some progress, health care disappears from the headlines.
Health care has once again taken a back seat in the 2008 election, despite the fact that recently published reports show that access to health care remains a considerable problem for more American families than ever before. Indeed, the Center for Studying Health System Change recently disclosed that almost one in five families struggled to pay medical bills last year; Twenty percent of those having problems even considered declaring personal bankruptcy. Nor is the issue limited to those without medical insurance. Reports indicate that of the 57 million Americans under pressure, 43 million have some form of insurance. The health care crisis is far from over, yet real reform is not even on the horizon.
Why is it so hard to get the ball rolling on health care? It's not because Americans don't want health care reform. While the issue has slipped behind the financial crisis and the Iraq war in the current election, it remains firmly in the top three issues among all demographics. Nor is it for lack of ideas. Over the years myriad diverse plans have been proposed by Republicans and Democrats alike.
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