Historical Overview of USA Health Care Delivery, Essay Example

The two main types of medical institutions that existed in preindustrial America were the almshouse and the asylum. The almshouse was the predecessor of the hospital and worked to keep the elderly and sick isolated from others. Asylums were created to house individuals with incurable chronic mental illness. Both organizations were government funded.

Health insurance in the U.S. become employer-based without government mandates as a consequence the salary freezes that occurred during World War II. Employees agreed to health insurance plans in lieu of raises. In addition the Supreme Court ruled in 1948 that employee benefits could be a part of union contract negotiations. Last, the government made these plans non-taxable which was an added benefit for the employer.

Medicare and Medicaid were created because the government earned popular support stating that the most vulnerable populations should be assisted in a manner that will allow them to afford health benefits. Since there was not a means by which the elderly and the poor would be able to purchase health plans on their own, a government intervention was necessary.

The corporatization of health care in the United States allows health care services to be purchased for significantly reduced prices and allows the cost of health care to be relatively controlled. As this occurred, physicians worked to retain their autonomy and formed large groups and collaborations in order to do so. As a consequence, individuals who utilize a specific form of insurance are typically able to only go to a specific group of doctors that are within their network if they wish to receive the benefits associated with their plan.