The major initiative of President Clinton’s first administration was to address the rising cost of health care and the growing number of uninsured Americans. Although the idea of providing universalized health care ultimately failed to get congressional approval, what were some of this plan’s initial goals?

The initial goals of President Clinton's health care reform plan, often referred to as "Hillarycare" because it was led by First Lady Hillary Clinton, were quite ambitious. Here are some of the key objectives:

1. Universal Coverage: The primary goal was to provide health insurance for every American. This was to be achieved through a system of "managed competition" where private insurers would compete within government-controlled markets.

2. Cost Control: The plan aimed to control the rising costs of health care through several mechanisms, including the creation of spending caps for each state and limits on how much insurance companies could increase their premiums annually.

3. Standard Benefits Package: The plan proposed a standard benefits package that would be provided to all Americans, including outpatient care, hospital care, mental health services, and prescription drugs.

4. Employer Mandate: The plan required employers to provide health insurance to their employees. Small businesses would receive subsidies to help them afford this.

5. Creation of Health Alliances: The plan proposed the creation of regional health alliances, which would be large buying groups that could negotiate with insurers for lower rates.

6. Reform of Insurance Practices: The plan aimed to reform insurance practices by prohibiting denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions and by implementing community rating, which would require insurers to offer the same premium to all individuals in a given geographical area, regardless of their health status.

Despite these ambitious goals, the plan faced significant opposition and ultimately failed to pass in Congress.