Henrik Blum" 2006). Thus, the act is important in understanding how the healthcare system works because it gave power to the state governments as opposed to federal.
While the act of 1974 may have been the most comprehensive act that shaped the healthcare system as we know it today, it came on the shoulders of the 1966 Comprehensive Health Planning Act. In fact, the 1966 act created Comprehensive Health Planning Agencies, precursors to the Health Systems Agencies that so revolutionized the healthcare system in 1974. Similarly, the 1966 Comprehensive Health Planning Agencies were the precursors of Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMOs, that are still integral in the planning and structuring of the healthcare system ("Health Planning's Beginning: A Tribute to Dr. Henrik Blum").
Thus, beginning in 1966, the healthcare planning began to focus more on the local state and community than the federal system. From Comprehensive Health Planning Agencies to Health Systems Agencies and Health maintenance Organizations, networks of care providers were established in certain areas and issues, such as medical bills, were addressed. Although the legislation that created these health planning...
For instance, further legislation must address healthcare provider's refusal to treat those not covered by
insurance, emergency healthcare for those whose
claims are denied, and for those who simply cannot afford healthcare. Although the United States' healthcare system is a long way from the unorganized and poor quality systems of other countries, further legislation is needed in order to insure that none die because of healthcare system policies.
References
Health Planning's Beginning: A Tribute to Dr. Henrik Blum. (2006). American Public
Health Association. Retrieved 4 September 2008 from http://www.apha.org/membergroups/newsletters/sectionnewsletters/comm/fall06/2980.htm
Rubel, E.J. (1976). Implementing the National Health Planning and Resource
Development Act of 1974. Public Health Reports, 91(1), 3-8.
S.2994. (nd). Library of
Congress. Retrieved 4 September 2008 from http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z-d093:SN02994:@@@L%7CTOM:/bss/d093query.html%7C
