Presidential Scandal: Bad Medicine for Health Care Reform
<p>As we watch a beleaguered president try to deliver a major health care proposal—likely to be considered on the Senate floor within days—The Commonwealth Fund’s David Blumenthal, M.D., and Brown University’s James A. Morone point out that presidential scandal and health initiatives have crossed paths before.</p><p>In a new post on <em>To the Point,</em> they recount how in the spring of 1974, the stars aligned to produce a rare moment of opportunity for health care reform. President Richard Nixon, a Republican, worked with Democratic congressional leaders to draft comprehensive national health insurance. And then Watergate damaged Nixon and ended the bill’s prospects.</p>
<p>While having a strong, skilled president might not guarantee success for this Congress, the authors say, it would certainly change the odds.</p>