President of the U.S., 1977-1981; Former Democratic Governor (GA)
1977: Incremental approach instead of universal coverage
We negotiated long and hard in 1977 to compromise on a single-payer system and agree instead to support a plan built on our existing system of private insurance provided that coverage was mandatory and universal.
In November 1977, Carter made it clear
that he had no intention to hammer out a legislative proposal. The moment called for bold leadership and swift action built around a single piece of legislation. We continued to work toward that end. And Carter continued to slow down the process.
By the summer of 1978, I felt that the president was squandering a real opportunity to get something done. The Jimmy Carter who had declared that he wanted mandatory and universal coverage and had a plan that was nearly identical to mine had
now been replaced by the President Carter who wanted to approach health insurance in incremental steps, over time, if certain cost containment benchmarks were met--and after the 1978 midterm elections.
Carter was not successful in gaining support for his national health-insurance bill or his proposals for welfare reform and controls on hospital costs. He was unsuccessful also in gaining congressional approval of plans to consolidate natural-
resource agencies within the Department of the Interior and expanded economic development units in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also, his tax-reform proposals were not favorably received by Congress.
Source: Grolier’s Encyclopedia, “The Presidency”
, Dec 25, 2000
Liberal on National Health Insurance
Carter’s politics fit no simple category. He could be conservative on abortion and welfare reform and taxes, and simplifying the federal bureaucracy, liberal on programs like National Health Insurance, Day Care, ERA, cutting the defense budget.
Like Robert Kennedy, he became a new kind of liberal, leapfrogging over the old liberalism he thought to be obsolete, unworkable, divisive. He questioned the old shibboleths of welfare and federal paternalism.
Source: [X-ref Principles] How Jimmy Won, by Kandy Stroud, p. 13
, Jan 1, 1997
Supports national health insurance
Let me outline for you some of the goals of the next administration in the area of health [insurance]:
We must have a comprehensive program of national health insurance.
We must have government reorganization that will end the bureaucratic
fragmentation that now frustrates any hope for a rational and effective national health care policy.
We must encourage alternative delivery systems such as HMOs and rural group practices.
We must clean up the disgraceful Medicaid scandals.
Source: Public Health speech, in “Good As Its People,” p. 231-33
, Oct 19, 1976
Supports more funding for education & research
Let me outline for you some of the goals of the next administration in the area of health [education and research]:
We must stress health and nutrition education. Our public schools could do more to teach our young people the dangers of drinking,
smoking, using drugs, overeating, and eating the wrong kinds of food.
We must mount a renewed attack on cancer and other diseases caused by toxic chemicals in the environment.
We must continue and expand biomedical research and be sure that it
serves the health needs of all our people.
We must encourage nursing home standards of safety, sanitation, and care, and we must encourage programs that will serve elderly people in their own homes whenever possible.
Finally, we must, by
scholarships, by loans, and by other means, provide medical education to more students, for minority and low-income families and also to more women, and we must encourage young health professionals to train and practice in rural and inner city areas.
