1971 PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS IN AMERICA

Photo: Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) speaking to AFSCME on healthcare reform.

Following the 1970 election, Democrats retained control of both the House and the Senate, increasing their majority in the House, while Richard Nixon was re-elected president. National health reform was a priority issue at the outset of the 92nd Congress in 1971: Senator Ted Kennedy introduced the Health Security Act (S. 3), a national single-payer bill, on the first day of Congress, while Republican Senator Jacob Javits introduced a competing single-payer bill: the National Health Insurance and Health Improvements Act (S. 836). Half a dozen other national health reform efforts were introduced, and a number of Congressional Committees held public hearings in 1971.

The most prominent public hearings were hosted by the Senate's Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, which was chaired by Senator Kennedy. The hearings were held on the "Health Care Crisis in America," and met 23 times from February through May, 1971 in locations across the country - an incredible commitment of the Committee's available time during the legislative session.

Extensive public hearings were also held by the House Committee on Ways and Means on "National Health Insurance Proposals" in October and November, and by the Senate Committee on Finance on "National Health Insurance" in April 1971.

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