Healthcare rationing in the United States information
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Healthcare reform in the United States
History
Debate
Legislation
Preceding
Social Security Amendments of 1965
EMTALA (1986)
HIPAA (1996)
Medicare Modernization Act (2003)
PSQIA (2005)
Superseded
Affordable Health Care for America (H.R. 3962)
America's Affordable Health Choices (H.R. 3200)
Baucus Health Bill (S. 1796)
Proposed
American Health Care Act (2017)
Medicare for All Act (2021, H.R. 1976)
Healthy Americans Act (2007, 2009)
Health Security Act (H.R. 3600)
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Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590)
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (H.R. 4872)
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Healthcare rationing in the United States exists in various forms. Access to private health insurance is rationed on price and ability to pay. Those unable to afford a health insurance policy are unable to acquire a private plan except by employer-provided and other job-attached coverage, and insurance companies sometimes pre-screen applicants for pre-existing medical conditions. Applicants with such conditions may be declined cover or pay higher premiums and/or have extra conditions imposed such as a waiting period.[1][2]
The poor are given access to Medicaid, which is restricted by income and asset limits by means-testing, and other federal and state eligibility regulations apply. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which are common among the rest of the population, restrict access to treatment by financial and clinical access limits.[3][page needed] Those 65 and older and a few others also qualify for Medicare, but it also has many restrictions.
In the media and in academia, some have advocated explicit healthcare rationing to limit the cost of Medicare and Medicaid. They argue that a proper rationing mechanism would be more equitable and cost-effective.[4][5][6]
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has argued that health care costs are the primary driver of government spending in the long term.[7]
^Obama, Barack (2009-08-15). "Why We Need Healthcare Reform". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
^"Jim Jaffe, "Secret's Out—We Already Ration Medical Care", AARP Bulletin Today, July 30, 2009". Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
^Martin A. Strosberg; Joshua M. Wiener; Brookings Institution; Robert Baker (1992). Rationing America's medical care. ISBN 978-0-8157-8197-4.
^Cite error: The named reference WhyRation was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Peter G. Peterson on Charlie Rose-July 3 2009-About 17 min in Archived 2012-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
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