For years, congress has been trying to reform our health care system, but has failed miserably. As time progresses, it seems that we dig o urselves deeper and deeper into debt without any end in sight. Since the inauguration of Teddy Roosevelt, health care reformation has been at the top of our to-do list, but still remains to be crossed off. Now that President Obama wants to take a shot at it many people seem doubtful. There have been countless attempts to reform our health care system, but the issue always seems to be too controversial and is left untouched.
There are several concerns that the people have voiced about the new health care reform, all of which have perfect legitimacy when held up to the current economic conditions, but have the people done their homework on the subject?
At first, there was talk of creating a health care system very similar to that of Canada’s, but that brought up a lot of controversy. What works for one person, doesn’t always work for another; that was the main argument there. Then there was also some talk of ending employer-based insurance and leaving individuals to buy personal insurance, but Obama has a different plan in mind.
His proposed plan is to take what we already have and build from it instead of destroying it and starting from scratch.
President Obama claims, “It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government. Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.”
The individuals that already have health care are afraid of losing what they have, but are still paying more to contribute to those who don’t have health insurance. Some of the most popular arguments against the proposed health reform include increased taxation, loss of current health insurance plans and the threat of becoming a socialized economy.
Under Obama’s plan there will be laws against insurance companies denying you of coverage because of pre-existing conditions. It will also be against the law to drop you because of an illness. Obama states that there will be limits or caps on the “out of pocket” expenses like prescriptions, but there will be no caps on the amount of coverage you can receive in one year. In addition to that, he says, there will be no extra charge for routine check-ups and preventative care.
As for the individuals that do not have health insurance they can expect to find affordable, quality health care. If a person loses their job, they will be able to get health care. If you change your job, you will be able to get health care. Obama wants to create a new health care exchange market where individuals and small businesses can shop for health care.
He says that insurance companies will have incentive to participate because it will open to the doors to millions of new customers.
Some are probably still wondering, what if I still can’t get health insurance? To those people there will be available tax credits which will based on the size of your need. This plan will not add to the deficit. The plan is fully pays for this investment through the health care savings and new revenues that includes a fee on insurance companies that sell very expensive plans.
In addition to allowing the individuals who have health care to keep it and the individuals who don’t, Obama plans to implement a law that states each American citizen must carry basic health insurance; similar to how most states require valid car insurance.
By doing this we will be able to avoid the high taxes people are being forced to pay to cover those emergency visits uninsured people have. Although this plan outlines a few steps in the right direction, it will only work if everybody does their part.
To be honest, before sitting down to write this article I was completely against the health reform, but now after doing my own personal research, I see that the reform could be a great thing. As with any major change there is fear; fear of failure and fear of defeat, but we cannot let that fear keep us from progressing forwards to a better future.
Alicia Popowicz is a second-year student at West Chester University majoring in English. She can be reached at AP677569@wcupa.edu.