The Clinton health care proposal: reform squandered again!

Abstract

Unlike the other articles in this series on efforts to reform the American health care system, this article is necessarily somewhat personal. I lived through it--not as a participant in the process but as a very interested bystander. To President Clinton's credit, his proposal was the first comprehensive proposal from a President since at least President Nixon and strictly speaking since President Truman. Yet, in the final analysis, the results were extremely depressing, not merely because of the obvious failure of the effort, but, even more important, because of the impact it has had on Americans' belief in the possibility for significant government role/responsibility in health care or, for that matter, in any significant domestic initiative. This article will trace portions of the failed Clinton health care initiative proposal--not the myriad other proposals that percolated through Congress. Realistically, only a proposal that had the support of the President had any chance of legislative success. This article will trace the development of the proposal and, while focusing on the universal coverage aspect, point to critical decisions that led to its legislative demise.