Public health traditionally has been a matter of interest for every national leader particularly in the United States. In light of president Obama's seemingly failed health care system, ObamaCare, it is important to note that there have been cases where presidents have made greater moves towards restoring sanity in the healthcare. One such example is Franklin Delano Roosevelt who served as the 32 nd president of America from 1933 to 1945. Albeit overshadowed by the occurrences of the 2 nd World War it cannot be denied that he surpassed his predecessors. The key to his success was his involvement in developing the Public Health Act. This text aims to elaborate Roosevelt's contribution to public health while also taking into account his background and challenges that he faced.
Background
Like most of his predecessors, Franklin D. Roosevelt was born into an opulent household with residence in in Hyde Park, New York on 30 th January 1882. Being the one child to James and Sara Ann Delano Roosevelt, everything revolved around him in his younger years- a big contrast to the people he was later to stand for. He was educated by personal instructors until the age of 14 where he joined the Groton School, 1896, an elite Episcopal boy's only preparatory school at the time. There it is documented that he struggled to fit as he was not athletic contrary to the culture of the institution. Later on in 1900, he joined Harvard University where he was perceived as an average student. Nonetheless, it was during his stay at the institution that he became engaged to Eleanor Roosevelt whom he married on March 17, 1905 (Biography.com Editors, 2016).
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Biography.com Editors (2016) suggest that after passing the bar exam while at Columbia University Law School in 1907, Roosevelt practiced corporate law which really did not interest him. He started his political journey in 1910 aged 28 when he ran and won the New York state senate on a Democrat ticket. With the help of Louis Howe his confidante, Roosevelt earned a reputation of being experienced in political tactics and intrigue in his 35-year political tenure.
Hurdles of Roosevelt’s Tenure
At the time of his inauguration into office, Franklin Roosevelt faced large obstacles both in and out of the health industry. On an economical aspect, unemployment was a major problem; thirteen million Americans were unemployed and even more could not afford quality medical. In addition, hundreds of banks had to close down further hindering the country's progress. In terms of medical care in the 30s and 40s, Roosevelt’s term, was a dreadful time for the citizens of America (Gale, 2003). During this period the main killer ailments were heart disease, cancer, and pneumonia. It is important to note that by then penicillin, the revolutionary remedy was not in use. This left the lawmakers to wonder how American healthcare could be made more affordable.
Following the Great Depression, the annual income had dropped astonishingly up to half of what it had been in 1929. More and more Americans were unemployed which had a heavy toll on their ability to afford treatment. This resulted in fewer visits to physicians and the overall hospital visit similarly declined. Although physicians remained relatively well paid during the Depression period, the less frequent visits lowered their income as well (Nichols, 2010). Thus a vicious cycle was in play as Americans became less and less wealthy. Also, hospitals lacked income albeit the huge demand for medical care.
Politically, the political scene prior and at the beginning of Roosevelt’s term did not favor healthcare to great length. The Depression led to increased interest in unemployment insurance and retirement benefits as Americans were wary of the future that was to come. The Social Security Act of 1935 that was formulated of combating the retirement dilemma omitted health insurance. Even though the Roosevelt administration was generally lobbying for health care insurance politics intervened and it was not deemed as much of a priority,
Roosevelt’s Personal Beliefs and Motivation
To be able to overcome the predicaments Roosevelt had to have strong beliefs as well as motivation. Ever since his days at Groton school Roosevelt had learnt to give back to the people through public service this was after the teachings of his former headmaster Endicott Peabody. “There is nothing I love as much as a good fight,” once said Franklin Roosevelt (Biography.com Editors, 2016). The numerous barriers perhaps served his appetite well. There are various reasons believed to have motivated Franklin Roosevelt to overcome these challenges especially in the health sector. The most obvious one is the well-known reason that Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio at a particular instance. However, what is unknown is how the disease really affected him both as a man and as a leader.
After initially denying the diagnosis Roosevelt was a broken fellow. He went to great lengths to finding a cure contacting numerous physicians and even buying the whole Warm Springs resort. Eventually, he accepted the fact and worked on reanimating his political image and physical health. He was later to start a foundation at Warm Springs resort known as the March of Dimes to aid in the research of the polio vaccine (Biography.com Editors, 2016). On a personal level his diagnosis of polio was perhaps his greatest motivation that aided him to transform health care.
Roosevelt’s Reforms
Every action breeds a counter reaction. Faced with the countless troubles as a president Roosevelt had to react which was in the form of change. So as to counter the numerous predicaments Roosevelt initiated and advocated many reforms in his tenure. Through the New Deal, a series of bills passed by the congress and presidential executive orders, Franklin Roosevelt was vital in improving health care at the time. Due to the dire circumstances, Roosevelt used his influence in allowing the government to offset some huge accumulated medical bills. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration was directed to utilize its reserves for medical care in June 1933. This was shortly after Roosevelt came into power (Gale, 2003).
Outcome of Roosevelt’s Reforms
Faced with an economic crisis and afterward the war, Roosevelt had to rely on temporary solutions for the health calamity. At the time physicians and health professionals felt that America's healthcare system was backward. Many European countries had some form of universal healthcare that catered for every citizen regardless of their financial status. This was the way forward to many Americans and so was Roosevelt. Roosevelt at the very end of his helm after successfully ending the war felt that universal care was his next objective (Markel, 2014). He aligned his wishes and thoughts with his vice president and soon to be President Harry Truman. However, Roosevelt died before any of that could be realized leaving the majority of the work to Truman albeit catapulting the beginning of change.
Importance of Roosevelt’s Reforms then
During his presidential tenure, Roosevelt did wonders that earned him 3 reelections and 4 terms the most of any American president. In terms of healthcare, he helped lessen the burden on Americans. According to Biography.com Editors (2016), the economic reforms he set in place reduced unemployment from 15% of the general population to just 14% in only three years (Nichols, 2010). This went a long way in ensuring that people were able to afford general health care which was not the case prior to 1933. The New Deal developments helped secure social security as well as health insurance at a time when the future seemed bleak.
From a historical point of view the transformations catapulted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt were imperative. It was the start of what today is termed as universal healthcare. During his presidential term universal health cover was often labeled as a communist approach. As such it was hard to convince congressmen and politicians alike who had a grip on the direction of the country. Even though Franklin D. Roosevelt did not formally sign into law any significant medical bill he cultivated the importance of such a system in his successor Harry Truman. 11 presidents later Medicare is a testament to Roosevelt’s work.
Perhaps Roosevelt's most important achievement was his involvement in starting off a universal healthcare system in America. Even though he died long before he saw the fruits of his efforts. Today almost all Americans are able to receive relatively high-quality healthcare at an affordable price due to the healthcare plans in place. The genesis of which are credit to him and his revolutionary administration. Conclusively, Franklin D. Roosevelt was an important figure in improving public health even though his work is often concealed by the results of the war.
References
Biography.com Editors. (2016). Franklin D. Roosevelt: U.S. President (1882–1945). Biography . Retrieved on 31 January 2017 from http://www.biography.com/people/franklin-d-roosevelt-9463381#video-gallery.
Gale. (2003). Medicine and Health in the 1930s: Overview. DISCovering U.S. History . Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ2104240125&source=Bookmark&u=clea26856&jsid=03daf8c763e8a9c67c8e7d3a4a970777.
Markel, H. (2014). 69 years ago, a president pitches his idea for national health care. PBS NewsHour Productions LLC . Retrieved 0n 31 January 2017 from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/november-19-1945-harry-truman-calls-national-health-insurance-program/.
Nichols, J. (2010). The Nation: Health Care through FDR's Lenses . Retrieved on 31 January 2017 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125007071.
