> The biggest problem is that there were few doctors, hospitals, or vaccination facilities available in certain areas, especially rural areas and poor urban areas
A problem directly caused by earlier government intervention. Starting around 1910, the AMA managed to push through legislation in most states that solidified their cartel and gave them sole authority to license medical schools. As a result, half of existing medical schools were pushed out of business, and the supply of doctors contracted significantly.
A similar push forced most poorer (and predominantly black) hospitals to close, because regs were written so that only the wealthier hospitals could satisfy the requirements.
The motivation for all this was clear: it substantially increased the rates that doctors and hospitals could charge by restricting the supply. Naturally it was all done in the name of patient safety.
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> The biggest problem is that there were few doctors, hospitals, or vaccination facilities available in certain areas, especially rural areas and poor urban areas
A problem directly caused by earlier government intervention. Starting around 1910, the AMA managed to push through legislation in most states that solidified their cartel and gave them sole authority to license medical schools. As a result, half of existing medical schools were pushed out of business, and the supply of doctors contracted significantly.
A similar push forced most poorer (and predominantly black) hospitals to close, because regs were written so that only the wealthier hospitals could satisfy the requirements.
The motivation for all this was clear: it substantially increased the rates that doctors and hospitals could charge by restricting the supply. Naturally it was all done in the name of patient safety.