Carter's healthcare record deserves a more nuanced evaluation. More than any other modern president, he took on the healthcare industry, as well as his own allies, by attempting to address the high costs of American healthcare. And his healthcare proposals pushed his party toward the policy strategies that eventually produced the landmark Affordable Care Act in 2010. Carter's willingness to tackle the politically perilous task of trying to rein in healthcare costs offers a template for the kind of leadership and focus needed to address the healthcare system's enduring flaws in 2024.
