Efforts to implement national health reform in the United States

Beginning in this issue and carrying forth during the year, the author will trace the history of the development of a national health policy in the United States. In beginning this new feature, Physician Executive recognizes the potential impact of national health reform on physician executives and the need to contribute to informed discussion on the current national health reform debate. In this first article, the authors sets the stage for the series, establishing the historical precedents for national health care reform and some of the groundrules for the articles to follow.