Health Care in America
“I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.”
Healthcare Speech Intro
Breaking: The Supreme Court Upholds A Key Part of the Affordable Care Act. Follow along for the latest news here.
Watch President Obama's Statement on the Supreme Court Affordable Care Act Ruling
The aim was simple: That every American could share in the promise of quality health care.
The groundwork was laid over nearly 100 years: Other administrations — from Presidents Truman to Nixon to Clinton — have tried and failed to immortalize this principal into American law.
Then, after nearly a century of work, an improbable piece of legislation with a lot of heart behind it ended its journey on the President's desk on March 23, 2010.
Since then, health reform in America has been the law of the land and after more than five years under this law 16.4 million Americans have gained health coverage. 129 million people who could have otherwise been denied or faced discrimination now have access to coverage. Health care prices have risen at the slowest rate in nearly 50 years. And it will live on as a legacy achievement not just of this administration, but of all those who fought for it for so many years.
Healthcare Timeline
Aug. 6
1912
1912
President Theodore Roosevelt campaigns on national insurance.
Nov. 11
1934
1934
“There is also the problem of economic loss due to sickness—a very serious matter for many families with and without incomes, and therefore, an unfair burden upon the medical profession”
1943
Rep. John Dingell Sr. first introduces a bill for comprehensive health reform.
Nov. 19
1945
1945
“Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. The time has arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and that protection.”
Jan. 31
1955
1955
“Many of our fellow Americans cannot afford to pay the costs of medical care when it is needed, and they are not protected by adequate health insurance. Too frequently the local hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes required for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease either do not exist or are badly out of date.”
Feb. 9
1961
1961
“The health of our nation is a key to its future--to its economic vitality, to the morale and efficiency of its citizens, to our success in achieving our own goals and demonstrating to others the benefits of a free society. Ill health and its harsh consequences are not confined to any state or region, to any race, age, or sex or to any occupation or economic level. This is a matter of national concern.”
Jan. 7
1965
1965
“We can and we must strive now to assure the availability of and accessibility to the best health care for all Americans, regardless of age or geography or economic status.”
July 30
1965
1965
President Johnson signs legislation creating the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
1971
Senator Ted Kennedy introduces the Health Security Act, calling for a national single-payer health care plan.
Mar. 2
1972
1972
“Comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time has come in America. There has long been a need to assure every American financial access to high quality health care. As medical costs go up, that need grows more pressing. Now, for the first time, we have not just the need but the will to get this job done.”
Dec. 9
1978
1978
“As long as I'm a vote and as long as I have a voice in the U.S. senate, it's going to be for the Democratic platform plan that provides decent quality health care north and south, east and west, for all Americans as a matter of right and not of privilege.”
Jan. 28
1992
1992
“We simply cannot afford this. The cost of health care shows up not only in your family budget, but in the price of everything we buy and everything we sell. When health coverage for a fellow on the assembly line costs thousands of dollars, the cost goes into the product he makes. And you pay the bill.”
Sept. 22
1993
1993
“At long last, after decades of false starts, we must make this our most urgent priority, giving every American health security, health care that can never be taken away, health care that is always there.”
July 15
2009
2009
“When the American people are on the march there is no barrier that can resist them, no obstacle that can block their path.”
Sept. 9
2009
2009
“I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way.”
Read The President's Speech
Jan. 27
2010
2010
“After nearly a century of trying… we are closer than ever to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans. The approach we've taken would protect every American from the worst practices of the insurance industry. It would give small businesses and uninsured Americans a chance to choose an affordable health care plan in a competitive market. It would require every insurance plan to cover preventive care.”
Mar. 21
2010
2010
Congress passes its sweeping health reform bill and sends the legislation to the President for his signature.
Mar. 23
2010
2010
“We have now just enshrined, as soon as I sign this bill, the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their health care. And it is an extraordinary achievement that has happened because of all of you and all the advocates all across the country.”
June 10
2010
2010
Seniors see the first benefit of the Affordable Care Act as $250 rebate checks are sent.
Watch the Video
July 1
2010
2010
Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions now have access to coverage through the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP).
Watch the Video
Jan. 1
2011
2011
Medicare starts covering annual wellness visits and offering free preventive services.
Watch the Video
Dec. 14
2011
2011
Millions more Americans under 26 have gotten coverage through a parent’s plan since health reform went into effect.
Watch the Video
June 8
2012
2012
The Supreme Court upholds President Obama's health care reform.
Read About the Court's Decision
Aug. 1
2012
2012
Additional preventive care services for women are covered with no cost-sharing for new health plans.
Watch the Video
June 20
2013
2013
Consumers saved $5 billion thanks to the medical loss ratio rebate program created by the Affordable Care Act.
Oct. 1
2013
2013
The Health Insurance Marketplace opens for business for the first time.
Visit the Marketplace
Mar.
2014
2014
President Obama goes “Between Two Ferns” to discuss the importance of getting covered.
Watch the Video
Mar. 31
2014
2014
The first open enrollment period closes, with millions of Americans having signed up for private insurance through the Marketplace and millions more newly covered through Medicaid.
Read the News
July 28
2014
2014
Independent Medicare Trustees confirm: the life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended to 2030 – 13 years longer than when the Affordable Care Act was passed. At the same time, Medicare Part B premiums remained flat for two years in a row – allowing seniors to keep more of their Social Security checks.
Read the News
Dec. 3
2014
2014
New data confirms that health care spending growth continues at record low rates, in part thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
Read the Report
Feb. 15
2015
2015
The second open enrollment period closes with the largest day of new enrollments yet and more than 10 million Americans enrolled in the Marketplaces.
See the Numbers
June 25
2015
2015
The Supreme Court issues a 6-3 decision on King v. Burwell, upholding a key part of the Affordable Care Act.
Read the News
Today
16.4 million people have gained health insurance and the uninsured rate stands at the lowest level on record.
Test Yourself:
How Much Do You Know About Health Reform?
Most people don’t realize exactly what health reform has meant for millions of Americans. Test yourself here.
Who said it? A century of attempts to reform our health care system
For nearly 100 years, American Presidents from both political parties tried to reform our health care system. On March 23, 2010, President Obama finally did by signing the Affordable Care Act into law, which has helped millions of Americans gain access to quality, affordable health coverage. Take this quiz to test your knowledge about what past Presidents have said about the need to fix our health care system. You might be surprised by some of the answers.
Love charts? See if you can guess what these ones are showing
We’ve pulled together a batch of charts and images, and removed the titles and labels. See if you can guess the story each of them tells – then challenge your chart-loving friends to take it, too. We guarantee you’ll learn something that surprises you.
A Letter to the President from Senator Ted Kennedy
Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, known fondly as the "Lion of the U.S. Senate," was a lifelong champion for health reform. He called it the cause of his life. As he endured brain cancer, he wrote this letter to the President, instructing his wife to send it after he passed away. This is what that letter said:
After Health Reform: Your Day-to-Day Life
Health reform has had a profound day-to-day impact on tens of millions of Americans – no matter where they are in their lives.
For millions of Americans, health reform has meant finally having access to the preventive services that will keep them — and their families — healthy for good. In the day-to-day, that means getting regular check ups and screenings. In the long run, it means safeguarding against chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. (Learn about other preventive services here.)
That's a big deal.
There's something you can do right now to help promote a better, smarter, and healthier health care system — and help make some of the unsung benefits of health insurance clear. Post a #HealthySelfie on your social media channels, showing yourself working out, eating healthfully, or heading to the doctor's office for a check-up. Anything that might move your friends and followers to follow your lead.
Learn more about our Healthy Self campaign (and check out Secretary Burwell's #HealthySelfie), and follow along here to find some ways you can take advantage of preventive care to be your healthiest self.
For millions of Americans, health reform has meant finally having access to the preventive services that will keep them — and their families — healthy for good. In the day-to-day, that means getting regular check ups and screenings. In the long run, it means safeguarding against chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. (Learn about other preventive services here.)
That's a big deal.
There's something you can do right now to help promote a better, smarter, and healthier health care system — and help make some of the unsung benefits of health insurance clear. Post a #HealthySelfie on your social media channels, showing yourself working out, eating healthfully, or heading to the doctor's office for a check-up. Anything that might move your friends and followers to follow your lead.
Learn more about our Healthy Self campaign (and check out Secretary Burwell's #HealthySelfie), and follow along here to find some ways you can take advantage of preventive care to be your healthiest self.
For an easy way to get personalized preventive health recommendations for yourself or a loved one, check out the U.S. Health and Human Services' myhealthfinder!
Young Americans getting their own insurance for the first time.
When Sarah turned 26, she was no longer covered under her family’s health insurance plan. The Medi-Cal coverage she was able to sign up for ended up saving her life.
When Sarah turned 26, she was no longer covered under her family’s health insurance plan. The Medi-Cal coverage she was able to sign up for ended up saving her life.
Read more
Americans thinking about starting a family.
Loren, a self-employed woman from Kihei, Hawaii, now has the highest level of coverage for less than $250 a month. “I could actually have a kid without financial ruin now,” she wrote the President.
Loren, a self-employed woman from Kihei, Hawaii, now has the highest level of coverage for less than $250 a month. “I could actually have a kid without financial ruin now,” she wrote the President.
Read more
Americans striking out on their own to start a business.
Now that health insurance companies are required to cover pre-existing conditions, Deborah was able to secure her own health plan and start a business from the comfort of her home.
Now that health insurance companies are required to cover pre-existing conditions, Deborah was able to secure her own health plan and start a business from the comfort of her home.
Read more
Americans moving toward retirement.
Health reform came just in time for Katherine – self-employed for 32 years — and her family. Today, her family can afford to keep their business and their home.
Health reform came just in time for Katherine – self-employed for 32 years — and her family. Today, her family can afford to keep their business and their home.
Read more
Read more of the stories of Americans whose lives health reform has improved below.
Meet The Covered Photos
Don K.
Phoenix, AZ
Deborah K.
Los Angeles, CA
Derrick B.
San Francisco, CA
Jeff R.
Riverside, CA
Jenna R.
Sacramento, CA
Kathy M.
Kings Beach, CA
Marjorie F.
Glendale, CA
Jackie B.
Denver, CO
Marla M.
Fort Collins, CO
Ann C.
Westport, CT
Donald L.
Palm Coast, FL
Amy W.
Augusta, GA
Naomi R.
Roberta, GA
Cait I.
Council Bluffs, IA
Susan T.
Quincy, IL
Arthur M.
Mishawaka, IN
Cody F.
Carmel, IN
April W.
West Paducha, KY
Keith C.
Louisville, KY
Lynnette J.
Hyattsville, MD
Jason T.
Holland, MI
Tyrona R.
Saint Clair, MO
Shannon K.
Great Falls, MT
Astrid M.
Charlotte, NC
Darlene W.
Cary, NC
Anthony C.
Yorktown Heights, NY
Katherine R.
Portland, OR
David H.
Elkins Park, PA
Regina M.
Philadelphia, PA
Durrain K.
Round Rock, TX
Lori S.
Beaumont, TX
Peter M.
Austin, TX
Ryan P.
Austin, TX
Don E.
Fairfax, VA
Karen M.
Burien, WA
Mavis C.
Gilbert, WV
