Americans are paying more for healthcare than almost any other nation…
Yet the system remains flawed, shaped by a century of strategic battles, PR campaigns, and powerful interest groups. In this episode of Marginal Babble, we examine the roots of today’s high costs, uneven access, and entrenched privatization going back nearly a hundred years. Professor Alsan unpacks how the private healthcare system in America was built through a politically orchestrated campaign by the AMA and innovative PR firms like Whitaker & Baxter. Aggressive tactics turned a voluntary, doctor-led prepayment model into the foundation of today’s complex, profit-driven industry. This early battle set the stage for modern issues: lack of price negotiation power, skyrocketing costs, and persistent inequalities.
***“Why Doesn’t the United States Have National Health Insurance: The Role of the American Medical Association”:***
https://academic.oup.com/qje/article/141/3/2147/8669893?login=false
**Professor Marcella Alsan:**
https://alsan.scholars.harvard.edu/
**Timestamps:**
00:00 Intro
00:41 American Healthcare Before WWII
06:02 Influence of the AMA (American Medical Association)
10:43 Whitaker & Baxter (the First Political Consultants)
16:12 Introduction of Health Insurance
22:33 How Private Healthcare Changed Over Time
27:30 Was Private Healthcare Possible Without Whitaker & Baxter
29:41 Legacy of Whitaker & Baxter
31:14 Challenges of Private Health Insurance
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