Currently, the United States stands alone against the other developed nations of the world. We stand, being the only one of those nations, without a universal healthcare system currently in use. Universal healthcare is defined as being a program that, with the strong help of the government, covers all eligible citizens within a political area, giving funds to not only medical needs, but dental and mental as well.
Instead, we have the option of privately owned insurance provided by many seperate entities or through an employer. 59.3% of Americans indeed choose to be covered under their employer, whilst 9% choose to purchase individual insurance.However, there are many governmet-funded programs in use today that benefit the elderly, the disabled, veterans, and some of the poor. This adds up to covering roughly 28% (approximately 80 million) of the population. These programs include:Medicare: a program for citizens and residents ages 65 and over and those that are disabled.Medicade: usually used to cover those of low in categories such as children, pregnant women, and also those that are disabled.The Veterans Administration: provides services to veterans and their families through hospitals and clinics.Others include Government Run clinics and Medical Corps of several branches of the military. Though these programs aid thousands of people in need, The public spending from these and other programs amounts to between 45% and 56% of the total amount of United States spending on health care.Spending on health care from the U.S. added it to the list of the highest spenders among the members of the United Nations in the year 2004.In spite of these large pecentages and even larger dollar amounts, about 15% of the population (about 45.7 million people) are currently living without health care. This could be because insurance is not provided through their employer, the insurance is unaffordable, or qualfying has been difficult for the individuals involved.Lately, the issue of health care has become increasingly contorverisial, mainly because of President Obama's desire to reform the well known and oddly unique system we currently use; the system that has been critiqued, loved, and loathed.Since the early stages of his campign, President Obama has been promoting his plan to completely reform United States health care. Now that he is in office, the plan has come under harsh scrutiny, and has become a very hot issue in the forefront of American concern. What exactly is his plan?President Obama plans to administor a government run, universal health care program, following in the footsteps of most other developed nations. This will be offered as an alternate option to private health insurance, and employer-provided insurance. With this strategey, a medicare-like program would be offered to all citizens. It would basically extend to all who cannot have access to coverage currently, by allowing them to enter into a government pool of funds used specifically for health care. Hopefully, the end result of the government overhaul would be quality and afforable care for all citizens not currently covered, with options to differant, individual plans.Now, most of us tend to wonder just why Obama sees the need to reform health care in such a dramatic way. Many tend to wonder just why it matters, and about the passions involved. As I mentioned earlier, 45.7 million people in the United States currently go without insuance, and cannot get the quality care that they need and deserve. President Obama and those who support him see this as not only a hassle and worry to those that go uninsured, they see it as an injustice. Obama believes that every American citizen in entitled to a high standard health care. Yet, the reasons don't pertain to just that. The premiums on health care, and the annual spending are skyrocketing at an immense rate that has most individuals and government officials concerned. Lastly, because of ssues such as age, pre-existing conditions, and serious disease or injury, more and more people are being turned away and denied coverage from many private insurers. Obama belives that with his plan, the problems of millions of people could be solved, and the economy could benefit from lower health care costs. Many of his opponents, however, believe otherwise.
The desire for a government option is not felt throughout the nation, however. The Obama administration has been fighting with the opposing side since the first days of the proposition. I believe that some of the points are truly valid, and others simply rumours spread by those with an opposing agenda.One of the largest and, in my opinion, most valid arguments, would be the cost. The amount of money needed to cover the 45.7 million uninsured in the country is just staggering. The national deficit is immense, and the plan that Obama is trying to pass is estimated to add 285 billlion dollars to the national deficit within the next then years. I tend to wonder that if, in our current state, we really need such a large burden placed upon us.Another, yet I believe, less sound argument is the trampling of personal freedoms.The opposing side to the Obama administration claims that the public option will force Americans into something that we do not all nessisarily want or need. Yet, Obama has said again and again that Americans that find themselves to be happy with their private plans may keep it if they wish, and that his plan will not force anybody into anything.My personal opinions on health care reform are very mixed at this time. I've never been one who could just pick one side of an argument and back it completely, because I always seem to see both sides. This case in no differant.I can see, if done right, Obama's plan helping a lot of people, and improving the quality of many lives. However, I can also see the grim side of things. As mentioned before, the national deficit is predicted to gain another 285 billion dollars in the next ten years because of this plan alone. I worry that eventually, the very fiber of this country will collapse under the weight of all the debt that we now owe. I fear that eventually everything will need to be repaid. I fear that it will be my generation left to do it.Mr. Bruns said it best when he said that, "if we were a normal business, we would be out of business". I can't quite see how the massive costs if universal health care is going to possibly help that problem at all. The bedrock of this country seems to be crumbling. I think it'd be much smarted to try and peice it back together, than to take the jackhammer of universal health care costs so eagerly to it.
2:20 am, at a hotel room desk, while in vacation in Chicago, with the slowest computer with the most problems known to man, and I still get this done. You should be proud...whoever reads this! Also, I have to get up at 6. thats 3 and a half hours from now. Yet, I chose to do this. See my commitment!?
Comments