Even NIXON Wanted Health Care Reform

Forty years ago, RICHARD NIXON thought it important to reform our health care system, and parts of it look a helluva lot like what the Democrats are proposing now. Nixon is now too liberal for the Republican Party?

As many people have pointed out, Nixon’s proposal for health care reform looks a lot like Democratic proposals today. In fact, in some ways it was stronger. Right now, Republicans are balking at the idea of requiring that large employers offer health insurance to their workers; Nixon proposed requiring that all employers, not just large companies, offer insurance.

Nixon also embraced tighter regulation of insurers, calling on states to “approve specific plans, oversee rates, ensure adequate disclosure, require an annual audit and take other appropriate measures.” No illusions there about how the magic of the marketplace solves all problems.