Health Reform Through the Years: A Timeline

1997- CHIP was formed.  This is the Children Health Insurance Program which in 2008 covered over seven
           million children.

2002- Health costs continue to rise and with the economic struggles, employers and employees have a
          difficult time absorbing the costs.

2003- Bush expands medicare to cover prescription drugs. The Medicare Modernization act was signed to 
          help create more coverage.

2006- health spending increases to 16.2% of the economy which caps spending at 2 trillion dollars. This is an
          incredible amount of money spent solely on health care.

2008- Obama promises sweeping health care coverage reforms.  At this point 46 million Americans are
          without health coverage.

2009- Senator Kennedy issues a health bill.  It proposes that all Americans have access to essential health
          care benefits.  Employers would have to contribute to costs of coverage and the government would
          create another insurance program.

To find earlier events in time check out a complete timeline at A History of Health Reform