The History of Health Insurance in the United States

By facebooker_1164727126871379

  • Blue Cross Founded

    Blue Cross is founded to cover hospital costs

  • Blue Shield is Founded

    Originally created to cover physician costs.
  • Period: to

    Transition to Employer Based Insurance Plans

    During World War II wage freezes were put into place and insurance started to migrate to emlpoyer based policies.

  • Creation of Medicare and Medicaid

    Health insurance for the poor and elderly is implemented.

  • Era of Prospective Payment

    Moving from a fee for service mode of payment in hospitals to a prospective payment program which shifted more financial risk to the hospitals.
  • Period: to

    Decade of Managed Care

    The strict Health Maintenance Organizations of the 70's and the 80's transition into Prefered Provider Organizations that allow patients to see their own doctors and not have to go through a primary care physician to see a specialist.

  • Medicare Part D Added

    Part D is added to Medicare to prevent citizens from falling into bankruptcy from paying for their medications.

  • Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

    The Affordable Care Act is signed into law.