special thanks to nina weissberg and the weissberg foundation for their generous support of this program. we're grateful for the support institute of public health. the institute is working to arm the next generation of global public health pioneers with the critical thinking skills, acumen and entrepreneurial approaches necessary to help solve the world's most pressings public health problems. please join me to welcome dr. cheryl healton, dean of global public health and director of the nyu global institute of public health, who will introduce our topic and special guests. [ applause ] >> thank you, michael, for that kind introduction. good evening, everyone. i am delighted to welcome you to this installment our weissberg forum on discourse in the public square co-sponsored by nyu-d.c. and nyu global institute of public health. thank you, nina for the support of the weissberg family for this important event. if the goal of our forum is to explore elements of a law which americans sharply disagree, the affordable care act, it is a true case in point. last month, the kaiser family foundat

and thank you, nina, for the support of the weissberg family. the goal of the form tonight is to explore elements of the law about which americans sharply disagree. last month, the kaiser family foundation reported the narrowest margin of difference yet, with 43% unfavorable towards aca, and 40% in support of it. one thing of which we can probably all agree is that the situation that prevailed from the passage of the aca was not a good one. over 70 millions lack health care coverage, and millions more were under -- not insured -- under insured. first, this complicated law deserves a very brief health reform 101. for that, i turned to my longtime friend and mentor, joseph, a former secretary of health under president carter. joe tells and eliminating story which i will recount here. one that they can -- that can be told in four short chapters of a winding tale about health care access for americans. chapter one, the years before world war ii during which health insurance itself was actually quite -- chapter two, president truman was the first pre