US health care is regarded as one of the best systems in the world due to the medical staff’s professionalism and the use of technological and scientific advances. It is necessary to consider the most significant strides policymakers undertake to make healthcare services more affordable for Americans. One of the most important milestones of the development of the healthcare system was 1965 when Democrats became the majority in Congress. Weissert and Weissert (2019) stress that the Democrats received the necessary instruments to bring their principles to life in the medical sphere. President Johnson developed a plan to ensure the larger availability of healthcare services to seniors and disabled people. The government provided financial aid to some healthcare facilities, and the latter offered healthcare services to people who could not afford the services. Because Congress was dominated by Democrats, the bill proposed by the president became a law that went under the name Social Security Act of 1965 (National Institutes of Health, 2017). This legislation has become the background for Medicaid and Medicare and led to the increased access of people to healthcare services.
Another important year for the development of the US healthcare system was 1981. The 1980s was the period when Congress was characterized by the Republican majority, so many feared that the achievements regarding people’s use of health care would be lost. However, Democrats were still strong and consolidated, which led to the enactment of various important bills (Weissert & Weissert, 2019). President Reagan contributed to this process as he signed an important act that helped currently unemployed Americans to receive healthcare services. In 1993, President Clinton offered the bill that regulated the individual purchase of insurance and helped some vulnerable populations (for example, low-income children) to access healthcare services. However, Congress did not support this initiative, so Clinton’s efforts were not as successful as the steps made by his predecessors. Obama Presidency is associated with the period of Democrats’ dominance and their effective work related to the healthcare system. One of the most significant milestones was 2009 when the president offered his incentive to expand Medicaid (Weissert & Weissert, 2019). A year later, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into being making healthcare services more affordable.
The brief analysis of the priorities of the presidents mentioned above suggests that all of them tried to make healthcare more accessible to as many people as possible. However, their efforts were not equally successful due to the objectives they set and the instruments they employed. Johnson and Obama were the most effective presidents regarding the democratization of the healthcare system, which was partly associated with the Democratic majority in the US Congress. These presidents strived to achieve universal coverage, but they had to respect the ideas of private property and capitalistic ways of the development of society and the healthcare system. Clinton and Reagan focused on certain populations trying to increase the access of the most vulnerable groups.
The system is still criticized for being cost-ineffective as the country spends a vast amount of funds, but millions of Americans have no access to high-quality healthcare services. At the same time, the history of its development suggests that the US health care evolves and can transform into a just system that covers the entire population of the country. The efforts of such politicians as Presidents Johnson and President Obama can result in the creation of health care available to all Americans.
Health Care: Mission Statements
The best mission statement is the one developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. It includes five out of nine components, and these are some of the most relevant elements for the customer. Although Aflac also has a statement with five components, those are concerned with the company’s operations rather than their impact on people’s lives (David & David, 2017). Bristol-Myers Squibb Company focuses on people and the company’s potential effect on public health. Importantly, they highlight the exact path they chose to achieve the established goals. They plan to use the most advanced technologies to address serious health issues. At that, it is necessary to add that all three companies do not specify their exact products or target population as they only mention “people” and spheres they operate in.
This is also the most inspiring mission statement as the other two are rather vague and internal, so to speak. They provide some insights into operations and products but fail to address such meaningful aspects as their social and environmental footprint. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, on the contrary, points at its desire to contribute to the development of solutions to serious health concerns. The company that can help in treating cancer or HIV/AIDS will receive the support of the entire society rather than several loyal customers.
Reference
David, F. R., & David, F. R. (2017). Strategic management: A competitive advantage approach, concepts (16th ed.). Essex, England: Prentice Hall.
National Institutes of Health. (2017).National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Web.
Weissert, W., & Weissert, C. (2019). Governing health: The politics of health policy (5th ed.). Baltimore, MD: JHU Press.