One Nation, Uninsured: Why the U.S. Has No National Health Insurance

by Jill Quadagno

Book Overview

Every industrial nation in the world guarantees its citizens access to essential health care services--every country, that is, except the United States. In fact, one in eight Americans--a shocking 43 million people--do not have any health care insurance at all.
One Nation, Uninsured offers a vividly written history of America's failed efforts to address the health care needs of its citizens. Covering the entire twentieth century, Jill Quadagno...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195312031
• ISBN13: 9780195312034
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Packed with well researched information

Kudos to Jill Quadagno for wading through a myriad of sources to bring an enlightening and engaging account of what has been in the way of America having a national health care system. A fascinating read, packed with well researched information.

good review

Good history of health care in america. It gives insight into an era before my time and answers a lot of questions about how things worked. What the social and political landscape was like. Can't wait to finish reading it.

Surprisingly interesting and readable primer on such a complex issue

One Nation Uninsured is brought to life in a fresh way by various first-hand recollections that are peppered throughout detailed, academic sketches of the major historical episodes that failed to produce national health insurance. Instead of reading like another dry textbook, this book provides an informative, intimate, and plausible narrative of why many of the major players did what they did in light of their different circumstances, motivations, and temperaments. Particular attention is also paid to other important non-health care events, such as the Red Scare, Brown v. Board of Education, Watergate, and Iran-Contra, as they indirectly affected the political will to mobilize for and against national health insurance, making this account all the more believable and nicely nuanced. My only complaint is that since the book was published in 2005, 2006 Part D legislation which expanded Medicare coverage, could not be discussed, but hopefully an updated edition will be written in a few years. Overall, a surprisingly interesting and readable primer on such a complex issue.

Praise for One Nation, Uninsured

"An important book. Jill Quadagno provides an impressive array of historical evidence to advance original arguments for why the United States lacks a comprehensive health care system and why health insurance should be viewed as a social right. This book is must reading for those concerned about health care reform in the United States." -- William Julius Wilson, author of When Work Disappears "A chilling historical account of how powerful groups with self-serving financial interests have successfully blocked attempts to enact national health insurance for seven decades, leaving tens of millions of our citizens without adequate health care coverage and often without even minimal care. Anyone eager to seek reform of our badly fragmented health care system must study its lessons and its blueprint for action; a task that will require nearly unprecedented political skills and monumental organizational prowess." -- Jerome P. Kassirer, M.D., author of On The Take: How Medicine's Complicity With Big Business Can Endanger Your Health "Jill Quadagno has produced the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of the power and effectiveness of interest groups in defeating a century of national health insurance reform campaigns. An impressive combination of theory and historical research, One Nation, Uninsured sets the parameters for the next round of debate over why the U.S. remains the only country without universal health insurance and how it might still expand access while reigning in costs." -- Lawrence R. Jacobs, McKnight Land Grant Professor, University of Minnesota "A fresh, savvy, powerful, ambitious, lyrical explanation of how America became so heartless about health care. Highly recommended for both citizens and scholars." -- James A. Morone, author of Hellfire Nation and Healthy, Wealthy, and Fair "Quadagno, a distinguished sociologist with a long-standing interest in policy, explores a century of government attempts to create universal health care and the powerful forces that have defeated those attempts.... Her sociological insights illuminate a path to reform." -- The San Diego Union-Tribune "Readable and engaging.... Some of the most interesting portions come from Quadagno's own archival searches and her interviews with people who lived the history that she describes.... Quadagno's sustained focus on interest-group politics seems right on target." -- New England Journal of Medicine "A strongly argued account that provides useful ammunition for anyone seeking to effect change in a medical system that willfully excludes so many who need it." -- Kirkus Reviews

Powerful Interests Have Blocked Every Effort With Lies

The USA is the only advanced country in the world without national health insurance because every effort to establish national health insurance has been blocked by the greed of special interests. Hundreds of billions of dollars are earned in our healthcare system by interests who have been able to block reforms for many decades. Of these vast amounts of money, only a few pennies on the dollar are spent on basic healthcare and prevenative healthcare. This is an unbelievable tragedy unfolding before our eyes.