2012 will mark a point in history as one of the most active years in the chronicles of healthcare. Each week brought new headlines and controversies that permeated various aspects of our personal lives. Healthcare touched our pocketbooks and our wallets. It made us question the role and influence of public unions and infused itself into discussions surrounding unemployment figures. It told us what size beverages we can consume and even took a turn into the bedroom where it weighed in on women’s reproductive rights.
In hindsight, this year provided a glimpse into the future. We are one step closer to near-universal healthcare and have added another year of being the world’s most obese, developed nation to our resume. We have a social-safety net for our most vulnerable citizens, both poor and elderly, but are also in the midst of the contentious “fiscal cliff” debates occurring at the 11th hour. We are hanging in the balance. So with that lens, here are the Briefing Room’s Top Ten Health Stories of 2012.