This article discusses lack of health care, especially among the lower classes and the self-employed. It reminded me a lot of the video we watched in class. The article states that more than 40,000 deaths per year are due to lack of healthcare and the uninsured have a 40% greater chance of dying than those with health insurance. About 15% of the population is uninsured. These people are afraid to go to the doctor due to fear of financial issues, and many end up dying due to their issues, when they could have been easily treated.
The article also says that young adults are more likely to be uninsured. The article talks particularly about Elizabeth Machol, a 26 year old who was suffering from a type of fatigue. She didn't want to go to the doctor because she knew it would be too expensive due to her lack of insurance. She instead collapsed on day on her bathroom floor and became brain dead. Could this situation have been avoided if Elizabeth had health insurance and was able to see a doctor for treatment?
Many people's lives are being cut short due to untreated ailments because they cannot see a doctor for a reasonable price without insurance. Is our government responsible to provide low-cost healthcare for everyone? How do we decide how much to provide, or to what income bracket to start providing it? Health care is tricky issue, but something I think everyone deserves.
Here is the article:
I am not well-learned or savvy enough to make points for a successful and cohesive health care plan, but I whole heartedly want a system that provides health care to every individual - if they so desire - regardless of his or her ability to pay. I do not fully understand the logistics of how a universal system would work, but I strongly believe access to medical care must not be denied to anyone.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand of President Obama's reform proposal, people with existing insurance policies will not have to change their health plans
Those wihtout health insurance will be required to buy health insurance. If you do not buy it, you must pay a fine. The fine will go into a pool, to which the government will add money, to subsidize the cost of buying insurance for people who are poor.
That will mean the government will subsidize health insurance for people who earn less than 133% of the poverty level (which is about $35,000).
The advtanges of universal coverage:
1) Everyone has access to health care (moral issue)
2) Cost issue: if you bring more people into the insurance pool. There is more money to pay medical claims and people who have been paying insurance will have lower premiums.
3) Designed to eventually lower medical costs (within 8-10 years)
The disadvantages of universal health care:
1) For people who don't have insurance, the government subsidies may not be enough to help them buy insurance.
2) As more people come into the system, more people will use health care. The system may be overburdened; there may not be enough doctors to treat everyone.
3) Possibly lower medical professionals' salaries (hopefully they went into the field wanting to help people, and not solely for the money anyway).