Just now I received an email from a reader asking me quite possibly the most loaded question I've ever received via email: What's the history of healthcare?
Don't get me wrong -- it's a good question. But I don't really have the time to compose the answer in my own words, so here are some links to some answers from experts.
PBS - Healthcare Crisis Timeline
A decade-by-decade overview of 1900-present.
Free Speech Radio News - History of the US Health Insurance Industry
In both text and audio.
Mark Schmitt's (Brief) History of the Public Option
New York Times - Health Care Reform Timeline
Includes excellent links to PDFs of archived news stories.