True Compass, by the late Senator Ted Kennedy: on Health Care

Jimmy Carter: 1977: Incremental approach instead of universal coverage

In November 1977, Carter made it clear that he had no intention to hammer out a legislative proposal. The moment called for bold leadership and swift action built around a single piece of legislation. We continued to work toward that end. And Carter continued to slow down the process. By the summer of 1978, I felt that the president was squandering a real opportunity to get something done. The Jimmy Carter who had declared that he wanted mandatory and universal coverage and had a plan that was nearly identical to mine had now been replaced by the President Carter who wanted to approach health insurance in incremental steps, over time, if certain cost containment benchmarks were met--and after the 1978 midterm elections.

Ted Kennedy: 1972 book, "In Critical Condition", favored national system

I introduced the first bill of my career for national health insurance. It was defeated: the first setback in a long, long struggle.

Ted Kennedy: 1974 cancer fight: address inhumanity of healthcare system

My many hours at Boston Children's Hospital were precious in another way. While Teddy was asleep, I wandered the halls, and sought out other parents who, like me, were keeping vigil. These were mostly working people. Their modest savings allowed them to raise their families comfortably and with hope--until catastrophe struck. It was in these conversations that the inhumanity of our health care system truly hit home to me. We shared common ground in our anxieties about whether our children would live or die, or survive with debilitating frailties. But for my new friends, this was only one terrible part of a larger nightmare.

Ted Kennedy: 1977: preferred single-payer but it's politically impossible

The moment called for bold leadership and swift action built around a single piece of legislation. We continued to work toward that end. But Pres. Carter continued to slow down the process. By the summer of 1978, I felt that the president was squandering a real opportunity to get something done. The Jimmy Carter who had declared that he wanted mandatory and universal coverage and had a plan that was nearly identical to mine had now been replaced by the President Carter who wanted to approach health insurance in incremental steps, over time, if certain cost containment benchmarks were met.