The Healthcare System Prior to 1965

[Tony_FLADEM]

I was listening to the Libertarian Candidate for Florida Governor Adrian Wylie online just out of curiosity.

One of the things he said and I always here this from Libertarians is that everyone could afford health care prior to 1965 and when government got involved costs became out of control.

I wasn't around in 1965 but I think the reason health care was more affordable back then is because medical technology and research were not as advanced back then. There were less things to spend money on as it relates to health care. This is what caused everything to be so cheap not lack of government involvement.

[Warpy]

1. That's partially true

What had more of an effect is that hospitals and insurance companies were all non profit.

Health costs started to skyrocket as soon as fat cats started to suck profits out of them while services degraded.

You'd think that would be an easy lesson for people to learn but it hasn't been.

The insurance company gravy train has only slowed, yet Republicans can't wait to return us to the horror show we faced pre-ACA. They'll also find a way to make it harsher.

[HockeyMom]

2. Preventative care

People only went to the doctor when they were sick. There weren't all these wellness exams and testing. Just think about the costs of routine colonoscopy for one. If a person doesn't have colon cancer, that is a lot of money for nothing. Just one example. Add many, many others.

[Raine1967]

9. This part needs to be driven home… shouted out and pounded into people minds:

hospitals and insurance companies were all non profit.

I have heard this mentioned on Thom Hartmann's radio show before, I wish I could find a link to it.

[Orangepeel]

3. The premise that everyone could afford healthcare prior to 1965 is nonsense

I was going to sarcastically ask if the people you are hearing this from think that the government got involved in 1965 because Lyndon Johnson was just sitting around one day thinking, "here's an aspect of American life that is working well. Let's fuck it up!"

But then I figured that the answer would probably be yes.

[Cleita]

5. Well, most of us did get group insurance at work and it was

affordable for the companies and labor unions.

[Cleita]

4. Actually health insurance had to be non-profit.

Most offered 80% coverage with a $100 deductible. Coverage was basic. They still could deny claims for technicalities and omit some pre-existing conditions, but there wasn't the free for all that developed during the 1980s.

[HereSince1628]

6. As a kid, a physical for sports cost ~$5

which sounds cheap but minimum wage was around a buck an hour...

It's true that not much was done in such a physical. Colorimetric urine test, check for hernia, heart rate, blood pressure and out the door. Now, I can do all that at home and toss in blood sugar tests for almost the same unit price.

[Wellstone ruled]

7. Most working folks had coverage from their employer

Remember this,we had a system of Community and County Hospitals which were funded by taxes. Then came the HMO's. Both systems allowed care at a very reasonable cost. Once the HMO's were allowed to go to a private enterprise model(for profit)the whole system went to hell in a hand basket. Then the insurance companies started the rape of it's customers. Can remember having first dollar coverage from the early sixties until 1987,wow,then all of a sudden United Health was able to sink every one of those type of programs by artificially jacking the prices through the roof. Once this happened ever insurance company followed suit. Also,in that era most states abandoned their Insurance Commissions leaving the door open to this theft.

[JaneyVee]

8. Isn't America the most obese Nation?

Less fast food, more home cooking back then too.

[scarystuffyo]

10. It has some truth to it

It wasn't 65 , it was around 69 or 70 but I still remember breaking an ankle working for a small tree company

No insurance and no work mans comp had to pay for it my self



It was under $300 but at the time I still thought it was overpriced
I don't even know what something like that would cost now.

I was only making about $2.50 an hour back then but going to the doctor without insurance back then wasn't
something that would usually bankrupt you like it does now.