A legislative agenda for health: 1987 to 1992

Health policy issues in the 1980s have been influenced largely by fewer federal dollars and by the increasing prominence of the private sector. As a result, several indicators of health status, especially among the poor, have deteriorated. The 1986 election and the return of Democratic Party control of the US Congress provides opportunities to seek to restore and increase funding in several areas and to develop new policy initiatives. Recommendations for funding and new health policy initiatives in the areas of AIDS, maternal and child health, substance abuse, health manpower development, long-term care for the elderly, biomedical research, and national health insurance are presented. In addition, the importance of improving the general level of education and employment is stressed, as they have an impact upon health status.