Interview with Howard Lee Bost, March 16, 1990

Partial Transcript: Today is Friday--(Bost coughs)--March the sixteenth, nineteen and ninety. I am Jean Becker from Second Presbyterian Church and this is an unrehearsed interview with Howard L. Bost.

Segment Synopsis: Bost gives a brief description of his family, World War II service, and college career. He relates how he became involved with the founding of the University of Kentucky Medical Center and medical college.

Keywords: Arkansas; Family life; Health economics; Medical colleges; Medical schools; Navy; University of Arkansas; University of Kentucky; University of Michigan; University of Texas; WWII; World War II

Subjects: Academic medical centers--Kentucky--Lexington; Family--history; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Medical Center; University of Kentucky. Medical Center--History

Partial Transcript: How many people were involved in this plannings?

Segment Synopsis: Bost discusses the founding of the Chandler Medical Center at the University of Kentucky. He describes Kentucky's need of physicians, and the reasons behind the opening of a second medical school in Kentucky. He highlights the statewide programs he was involved in that were improving access to healthcare. He walks through the process of the legislation that was created during his involvement in creating programs, and the funding of the programs that were created.

Keywords: Allied Health; Dentistry; Governor Happy Chandler; Health care; Health care funding; Kentucky; Medicaid; Medical economics; Medical schools; Mental health; Mental health services; New medical schools; New schools; Nursing; Pharmacy; Statewide health care; Teaching hospitals

Subjects: Academic medical centers--Kentucky--Lexington; Academic medical centers--Kentucky--Lexington--Planning; Health care issues, costs, and access; Health facilities--Kentucky--Lexington; University of Kentucky. Medical Center; University of Kentucky. Medical Center--History

Partial Transcript: Now when you and Helen moved to Lexington I think you joined Second Presbyterian Church?

Segment Synopsis: Bost remembers his involvement in Presbyterian Church leadership at both the local and national levels. He describes the organization of the Presbyterian Church on the national level. He explains what each national board did and what missions they were involved in. He shares his experiences on the Board of National Missions. One experience was when the Board became involved in saving the hospitals in the Appalachian regions because they were losing funding.

Keywords: Aid to Appalachian Region; Church community; Church leadership; Church missions; Coal Miner Union; Health care; Hospitals; Missions; Outreach

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Medical care--Appalachian Region; Presbyterian Church; Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Ky.); United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.; United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of National Missions

Partial Transcript: The activity which I was involved in during the Board of National Mission, uh, period was the development of policy on the part of the church...

Segment Synopsis: Bost tells about his involvement on a committee dedicated to drafting church policy regarding health care. He describes the process of making the statement of policy concerning access to health care. Howard reads a portion of the policy and explains how this policy was adopted by the church.

Keywords: Access to health care; COMAR; Church community; Church leadership; Church policy; Health ministries; Healthcare; Healthcare policy; Policy Committee; Social issues; Statement of policy

Subjects: Health care issues, costs, and access; Presbyterian Church; Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Ky.); United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of National Missions

Partial Transcript: I know there have been many other, um, involvements in, um, the healthcare field and I'd like for you to tell us, uh, about some of the other things you were involved in.

Segment Synopsis: Bost shares his part in developing the Medicare program. He describes the individuals he worked with, including former cabinet members of the Eisenhower administration. After the report was made they presented the report to President Kennedy, but he explains why it was President Johnson who signed in the legislation for the Medicare program.

Keywords: "Blue ribbon group"; Access to health care; Health care funding; Health care legislation; Health insurance legislation; Legislation; President John F. Kennedy; President Lyndon B. Johnson; Truman Library; US Senate; United States Senate

Subjects: Health care issues, costs, and access; Health insurance.; Medicaid.; Medical care; Medicare

Partial Transcript: I was, I was, uh, uh, asked to become deputy director of the program.

Segment Synopsis: Bost highlights his achievements as a health economist. His awards are described and the interviewer reads a letter Howard received from President Johnson commending him on his work. She also reads a plaque Bost received from the Presbyterian Church that highlights his achievement in the healthcare field.

Keywords: Awards; Bureau of Health Insurance; Church awards; Church community; Church missions; Church service; Health care; Health economists; Health economy; United Presbyterian Church

Subjects: Medicaid.; Medicare; Presbyterian Church; Presbyterian Church--Kentucky; Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: With the growth of, um, Lexington and the Medical Center and even our own church, um, do you have any, um, things, uh, thinking toward the future as to what m--uh, healthcare will become, or anything that you would...

Segment Synopsis: Bost reflects on what he believes the future of healthcare will be. He discusses some problems that will need to be addressed in the future about access to healthcare. He also speaks about how his father's pharmacy practice influenced his decision to become involved in the healthcare field. He then describes how the Presbyterian Church has been involved in social issues.

Keywords: Church community; Church missions; Church outreach; Health Care legislation; Health care funding; Health care problems; Healthcare; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Social issues

Subjects: Medical care; Medical care--Cost control--Law and legislation; Medical care--Kentucky; Presbyterian Church; Presbyterian Church--Kentucky; Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Ky.)