subject: Is It Time For Health Care Reform? [print this page] Presidential elections have come down to health care reform in recent years. President Clinton was elected in 1992 because he promised health care reform. That was an idea that was quickly shot down once he took his seat in the Oval Office. President Obama said he was for universal health care and is either largely supported or being lambasted by his opponents on Capital Hill. Either way, it is a touchy subject that needs to be addressed before the 2012 election and could be the major basis for whoever wins the nomination. It is a subject that won't go away and something that needs to be addressed by everyone from the wealthy who do not want to sacrifice their freedom to see whichever doctor they want and those who are desperate for any kind of care possible, An election and the leader of the free world may be decided by this issue.
As a result of this, the United States government proposed that there be a third, government supported option, often referred to as universal health care. This option would allow individuals to use a government subsidized health insurance plan, essentially providing care for all, even if they do not have private insurance. Once again, virtually no one is opposed to health care for all, but the arguments for and against the government option all come down to how such a plan would be paid for.
Those that support the proposal claim that such an option would allow everyone to have health insurance coverage, meaning anyone would be able to see a doctor, dentist, or specialist. They also cite that such a plan has worked relatively well in other Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, and that private insurance companies would still be able to sell their own plans. As well, they claim that a universal health care option would not raise taxes significantly, and the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Those that oppose universal health care claim that it would put private insurance companies out of business, as they simply would not be able to compete with the financial resources available to the government. Some that oppose universal health care also claim that, because of the finite amount of health care providers and health care resources in the country, some people would be denied health care in lieu of those that plan administrators felt were more deserving. As well, they also claim that such a plan would drive down the quality of care received by individuals, as the system would become overloaded.
Both sides are passionate about their positions on the issue of universal health care, but it is vital to the United States congress to act in a hurry and bend down all political barriers that are standing between universal health care and politics. It would be a massive overhaul of a system that seems to be broken, but the solutions are varied and only add to more political bickering.
