Social Issues: Universal Care and The Reformation of Health Care in the U.S.

According to an article from Balanced Politics, there are over 45 million Americans living without health insurance. There are several reasons for this including being denied coverage, insurance plans being unaffordable, and the costs of deductibles being so high that people simply cannot afford the policies. There is no doubt that something needs to be done about this issue (Messerli). In America a small percentage citizens receive government funded health insurance, but it often just doesn't seem to be enough, as a much larger percentage goes without. The topic of health care issues in the U.S. isn't necessarily a new problem; it’s actually been an ongoing issue for the past several decades. However, with the recent changes president Obama has made when he initiated his Health Care Reform, many Americans were left wanting more while many others were left wanting to keep things they way they were. Insurance costs are skyrocketing, and something needs to be done as the problem continues to spiral out of control.As the problem continues to grow, many are left begging the question, is universal health care the solution?

There is an indisputable argument involving free health care for everyone. That is, that free health care isn't actually free. Everything that is “free” comes at a price. So the question becomes, who picks up the bill on universal health care? Tax payers are the most likely answer, specifically the wealthiest American tax payers. With the massive amount of government funded programs already in place,convincing senate that more government funding is needed may be a difficult pill to swallow.Sociology professor, Phil Zuckerman, says that a concern for raising taxes for universal health care, is the affect it will have on wealthy business owners. These business owners will be unable to expand development, employees, or innovation and technology. However, according to a report from the Legatum Institute, “The most prosperous nations are Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, the three nations with the highest taxes in the history of capitalism” (Zuckerman). In the same article, it states that the U.S. ranks twelfth for taxes paid by nations. In fact, the U.S. has the lowest taxes of all the industrialized democracies. With an increase in taxes, the wealth could be spread throughout the U.S., and government insurance could be offered to all citizens, instead of just those can afford it and those in poverty that the government already provides for. In an ideal world, everyone would have enough money to pay for health care on their own, but with employment being down and insurance costs rising,the fact is that the government may need to step in and ensure that its population is cared for.

Health care isn’t just unaffordable for individuals, but also for small business owners as well. Individuals that may be interested in starting up a small business may chose not to because of insurance reasons (Messerli). Companies that are spending large amounts of money on insurance costs for their employees could be spending that money on pay raises, hiring more employees or investments in the business with the addition of new technology. This would stimulate the economy, which is something all Americans could benefit from. A major problem with the U.S. health care system isn’t just that there are so many Americans living without health care, it’s that those with health insurance cannot afford to get health care needed. Often times, even with insurance, people still can’t afford their medical expenses. Far too often we hear people talking about how they can hardly afford their prescriptions, or maybe they can’t afford to have a much needed procedure or operation done because of high deductibles, or worse yet, people’s claims being denied and/or coverage being dropped. In Michael Moore’s 2007 documentary “Sicko”, several interviews, with average Americans, are conducted. During many of the interviews, the interviewee explains how they were negatively affected by the corporate greed of insurance companies.In the documentary, he interviews a woman named Becky, who claimed finding ways to deny coverage was her sole job. Another testimony shows a woman named Linda Pinot explaining in a C-SPAN confession, that in her efforts to deny peoples insurance claims, she was promoted from a “few hundred dollars a week” position to “a six figure a year” salary.

Soaring health care expenses drive many Americans into bankruptcy.According to Elizabeth Warren, a law professor at Harvard University, One million Americans were financially ruined by illness or medical bills last year, and of these bankrupt families, 20 percent went without food, 33 percent had their utilities shut off, and almost 67 percent had to skip medical visits (Warren). The problem isn’t always just the medical expenses and insurance cost, but the fact that so many have to quit their jobs when they became ill or to care for a family member that was ill. A person losing their job in the U.S. could mean a large list of potential problems. One problem with losing your job, is that insurance goes away with it. In countries with universal health care medical bankruptcy is a nonexistent issue for their citizens.

Some argue that if people were to be given free health insurance, they will take advantage of the system, and that the government run facilities are going to have longer waits. In the documentary, Sick around the World, in an interview with correspondent T.R. Reid, physicians say contrary to the rumors, the wait time has really improved. They say that for regular appointments, the wait is only a few minutes. However, the wait for elective surgeries can last a few months, and for those waiting for heart surgery or organ transplants for example, that might be too long.This argument may not be completely valid. in the U.S. there are long waits too. Perhaps not all medical facilities face this problem, but many do. I know that if I wanted to take my son to see his primary physician, there is typically a one week to three month wait depending on what the appointment is for. If a child has a 103 degree temperature, parents can’t afford to wait a week to see their primary pediatrician. Elective surgeries in the U.S. don’t happen immediately either. Appointments must be made in advance for operations, which can take a month or more before the appointments can be scheduled.

President Obama’s health care reform bill my offer some solution to the problem, but universal health care for American citizens is not yet within their reach. There have been a lot of rumors as to what the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act really consists of. Many people are left wondering how it will affect them once the plan is fully implemented in January 2014. According to Consumer Reports, the world’s largest independent consumer product testing and nonprofit agency, there are several things Americans should know about the health care reform bill. The health care plan has a few items that some find to be upsetting and problematic, but for many, it could be highly beneficial. Insurance policies can no longer be canceled if you get sick nor will they be able to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions. In addition, they will be unable to cancel your policy due to clerical errors on your application. Annual dollar amounts that insurance companies are willing to pay will be slowly eliminated. All of this is going to make insurance companies more accountable for the customers. A really beneficial thing about this new plan is that all preventative care appointments will be free. This could really help in early detection, which should keep Americans healthier. People are going to basically be required to carry insurance. If a person chooses to opt out, they will be required to pay a fine of up to 2.5% of their yearly income, which will be taken from their federal tax return.However, the penalty won’t be applied to small businesses (less than 50 employees).This could mean that small businesses will have the potential to spend more money on employees since that money won’t be going to insurance costs or penalties (Consumer Reports).The new policy is also going to allow young adults to stay on their parent’s policies a lot longer, up to the age of 26.

Effective in October of 2013, the online market place for insurance policies will open. It will be similar to what car insurance companies currently offer. Individuals will be able to go online and shop for insurance policies and compare rates and coverage. Individuals with low income will be offered discounted rates via tax credits. Prescription discounts will be offered for individuals who have passed the point in which prescriptions are paid for by insurance companies. More Americans will be eligible for Medicaid. Currently there are around 60 million Americans that receive benefits from Medicaid. That number is expected to increase to around 77 million. More information on this can be found at www.consumerreports.org. Although this new plan is a step in the right direction as it implements a lot of changes for Americans, it may not be enough to satisfy the needs of all Americans.

The above image is a map showing countries with and without universal health coverage. The green areas represent nations with some form of universal health care, and the gray areas represent areas without universal health care. Max Fisher, A writer for The Atlantic, says, “What’s astonishing how cleanly the green and gray separate the developed nations from the developing, almost categorically.” This is of course, is with the exception of the United States and a few select others. He says the map is very interesting because U.S. health care costs are so high, and because American government spends way more on health care than the countries that actually have universal health care. This is according to a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which covers most of the developed world.

In a speech givento the International Forum on Universal Health Coverage: Sustaining Universal Health Coverage: Sharing Experiences and Supporting Progress, Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization, quotes “Governments have the responsibility for the health of their peoples which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.” She explains in her speech that the poorest people are the ones who are forced to pay the greatest percentage of their income on health care. It may not seem fair for the rich to have to sacrifice their money to those who have less, but, that being said, is it any more fair for people’s health to deteriorate for the simple reason they can’t afford health care. All countries should strive for equity amongst their citizens, especially when it comes to their health. At times, those that can afford health care end up being pushed into poverty due to medical expenses.

To conclude, the soaring cost of health care in the U.S. are a serious issue. It is one that legislation clearly should take a long hard look at. Universal care, may not may not be a perfect system, and it may not be the answer for the U.S. Universal health care has shown to be a goal of many people, not just the citizens of the United States, but on a global scale. Americans can only hope that this country is making a step in the right direction with President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. As America strives to be a moral and ethical nation, it must attempt do everything in its power to care for its citizens regardless of race, religion, gender, or economic status. No amount of tax money is worth the life or health of another human.This issue, is one that will likely never disappear completely. It is decades of hard work in the making for several leaders as they strive to reach common ground for all parties.

Commentary Works Cited:

Chan, Margaret. “More Countries Move Towards Universal Health Coverage”. World Health Organization.

2 Apr. 2012, web. 31 Oct. 2012.

http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2012/universal_health_coverage_20120402/en/index.html

Consumerreports.org . Health Reform: Seven Things You Need to Know. Consumer Reports.

Web. 12, Oct. 2012

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/ncqa/The_Affordable_Care_Act-

You_and_Your_Family.pdf

Fisher, Max. “Here’s a Map of the Countries That Provide Universal Health Care (America’s Still Not on

It)”. The Atlantic. 28, Jun. 2012, web. 13 Nov. 2012.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/heres-a-map-of-the-countries-that-

provide-universal-health-care-americas-still-not-on-it/259153/