Question

Under the Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1946, the responsibility for hospital planning

a) Was decentralized to individual states
b) Remained solely with the federal government
c) Shifted to private organizations
d) Was abolished entirely

Answer 1

The responsibility for hospital planning under the Hill Burton Act was decentralized to individual states, with each state determining the allocation of federal funds to meet health infrastructure goals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Under the Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1946, also known as the Hill Burton Act, the responsibility for hospital planning was decentralized to individual states. This act, passed after lobbying from the American Hospital Association and an address by President Truman advocating for better healthcare infrastructure, allotted federal funding for the enhancement and creation of hospital facilities. Each state was tasked with determining the allocation of these funds to meet the objective of providing 4.5 hospital beds per 1,000 residents. Despite being a federal endeavor, the law did not centralize planning; states maintained control over the distribution of federal funding, making strategic decisions based on their unique healthcare needs.

Furthermore, the Hill Burton Act initially allowed for the continuation of segregated healthcare facilities under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. It wasn't until 1963 that the Supreme Court ruled against this provision, promoting the desegregation of hospitals. This act paved the way for increased federal involvement in healthcare but maintained that states held the primary responsibility for the execution of hospital planning and construction.

Answer 2

The Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1946, also known as the Hill Burton Act, decentralized hospital planning to individual states, allowing them to allocate federal funding for hospital development.

Step-by-step explanation:

Under the Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1946, also known as the Hill Burton Act, the responsibility for hospital planning was decentralized to individual states. While it was a federal law, it allocated federal funding for the construction and expansion of hospitals with the requirement that states work to achieve a quota of 4.5 beds available per 1,000 residents. Despite its federal nature, each state had the authority to determine the allocation of these funds. This act illustrates an early instance of federal involvement in healthcare, aiming to improve the hospital infrastructure across the nation, albeit within the framework of existing racial segregation policies of the time.