Unless you happen to be nearly one hundred years old, or rivaling President Joe Biden in age, you probably do not remember a time when one’s healthcare decisions were not influenced by health insurance companies or the government. Indeed, back before the 1920s, healthcare was far more affordable than it is today, with people being able to pay for medical services out of their pockets.

Then, the government happened.

In this episode of "A Fresh Perspective with Jeff Charles," I delve into the topic of health care, an area that affects all but is understood by few. I give a thumbnail sketch of the historical evolution of America’s healthcare industry from the time before the prevalence of health insurance companies to today’s environment in which the majority of Americans are insured by their employers or the government.

At a time when the nation is grappling with whether the state should pay for the healthcare of illegal immigrants and others, this topic is becoming increasingly important – especially to voters. Various polls show healthcare as one of the top priorities for Americans going into the 2024 presidential election.

A Gallup poll conducted late last year revealed that 59 percent of respondents believe the federal government should be responsible for ensuring all Americans have health insurance. About 40 percent disagree, saying that it should not have this responsibility.

In 2022, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll showed that only 12 percent of respondents believe healthcare is handled “extremely” or “very” well.

Overall, the public gives even lower marks for how prescription drug costs, the quality of care at nursing homes, and mental health care are being handled, with just 6 percent or less saying those health services are done very well in the country.

“Navigating the American health care system is exceedingly frustrating,” said A. Mark Fendrick, the director of the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design. “The COVID pandemic has only made it worse.”

In this episode, I explain the origins of the original push for employer-sponsored health insurance and describe the critical role the government played in shaping the health insurance and healthcare industry into the troublesome behemoth it has become today. The question is: How can we reverse the damage?