The year 2008 was not a quiet one on the health care and health insurance front. There was lots of activity and legislation that came to the fore. In fact, it was the most active year in several, with regard to the number of issues that were addressed. This high level of activity tells us that health care and health insurance are on the minds of the public, and thus on the agendas of legislators. Here's a look at some of the highlights in health insurance and health care for 2008:
Health benefits occurred across the food spectrum, as dark chocolate finally got its day. It was determined that dark chocolate does contribute to better blood circulation, as well as lowering blood pressure. And in May, McDonald's decided to stop the use of oils containing trans fats in U.S. and Canada restaurants. Eating french fries won't quite be the same. And more regarding trans fats, the state of California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants.
On the state level there was much activity. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, after pushing aggressively for a comprehensive health care reform, vetoed legislation that would have provided a single payer system. It was his second veto in three years of a similar plan. Across the country in Florida, Governor Charlie Crist was able to pass a law that will provide residents with affordable coverage through a new Florida health insurance program. Meanwhile, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle axed the state's universal health insurance program for children, due to budget constraints. And in Massachusetts, due to skyrocketing costs, lawmakers were forced to raise premiums for the state-subsidized health insurance program.
As the Obama transition team has been readying to take the reins of the White House, it was announced that former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle has been tapped to head the Department of Health and Human Services. During his 2008 campaign, Obama stated that health care reform would be one of his top priorities. U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy relinquished his seat on the Senate Judiciary committee in order to concentrate on getting a workable health care agenda passed. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I intend to make the most of it," he stated.
The health insurance industry agreed that so long as there is a universal health care mandate in place, they would not deny coverage to any person with pre-existing conditions. And lawmakers also passed a bill that will prohibit genetic information from being used to deny health insurance coverage. So 2008 did bring a host of new health care issues to the fore. And 2009 promises to bring even more, as the issue continues to grow in importance for Americans.