epard-Towner Act (1921) on Maternity and Infancy. Subsequent to this legislation, the federal government became much more ôinvolved.ö This involvement continued to gain momentum and ultimately produced the landmark legislative events of Medicaid and Medicare.
Most legislation pertaining to healthcare at the federal level rested on a set of assumptions that were all well intended. Post implementation experience proves these programs to be largely overly optimistic and idealistic. Coupled with the inherent ôdistrustö of any form of government involvement by the states and the population in general, and the result is at best a situation that is constantly in tension.
Typically the role of the States in healthcare has been evidenced in one or more of the following manifestations:
Financial support for the care and treatment of the poor and/or chronically disabled.
Quality assurance and oversight of healthcare practitioners and their associated facilities.
Regulation of healthcare costs and the insurance carriers.
...