Health Insurance Cooperatives
Lessons From the Great Depression
- Michael R. Grey, MD, MPH
- Author Affiliations: Hospital of Central Connecticut, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, New Britain.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE
- HEALTH CARE REFORM
- HEALTH CARE SYSTEM REFORM
- HEALTH POLICY
- HISTORY OF MEDICINE
- INSURANCE, HEALTH
- LEGISLATION
- LEGISLATION, MEDICAL
- REIMBURSEMENT MECHANISMS
- SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
Nearly a century after universal health insurance first arose as a social and political issue, the United States is mired once more in a volatile and high stakes debate about the direction of health care reform. While a Medicare-like public option remains very much in play, health care cooperatives have drawn increasing attention from lawmakers, the media, and the public. Most physicians are less familiar with cooperatives, their guiding principles, or their unique advantages or disadvantages. However, the concept of health care cooperatives is not new in US history. Reviewing what historical needs led to them, how they were constructed, and how reliance on them waned may sharpen the ability to assess the potential value of cooperatives in health care delivery and financing in today's health care debate.
The ownership and governance (eg, voting for board members) in a cooperative are enjoyed equally by all members. These voluntary associations are …
