Throughline The Everlasting Problem (2020)
Apr 14, 2022
Paul Starr, a Princeton sociology professor and healthcare history expert, teams up with Jim Marone, a Brown political science professor and co-author of "The Heart of Power." They dissect the U.S. health insurance crisis tied to employment and trace its roots from 19th-century grim hospital conditions to modern employer-based systems. The duo highlights Truman's push for universal health insurance, the fierce opposition he faced, and the lasting impacts of political resistance. Their insights prompt a critical reevaluation of healthcare in light of recent challenges.
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Early American Healthcare
- In the mid-1800s, American hospitals were dismal places, often seen as a last resort for the poor.
- Treatments included mercury and bloodletting, and life expectancy was around 40.
Industrial Workers' Vulnerability
- Industrial workers' vulnerability to illness and injury became a concern with the rise of factories.
- Unlike farmers, their families couldn't easily fill in when they couldn't work.
Sickness Funds and German Model
- Sickness funds, a form of disability insurance, started covering about 8 million U.S. workers by 1915.
- Germany introduced mandatory health insurance paid by workers and employers much earlier, in 1883.