Dingell plays powerful and historical health care role

NPR examines the historical role that Rep. John Dingell has played in health care policy, including the establishment of Medicare: "When people think of health care and Congress, often the first name that springs to mind is the late Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. But while Rep. John Dingell, (D-MI) may not be as well known, he has a legacy on health care that is, if anything, even richer than Kennedy's was. And when the House takes up its health overhaul bill this weekend that bears Dingell's name as its lead sponsor, it could cap more than a half century of effort on his part to bring health insurance to nearly every American."

"Dingell's quest for universal health care actually began in 1932, when his father, John Dingell Sr., was first elected to the House from Michigan. The elder Dingell quickly became one of the architects of the New Deal. ... And when the elder Dingell died in 1955, John Dingell Jr. didn't just take over his father's seat, but also his quest for national health insurance" (Rovner, 11/6).

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This article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.