I recently started attending college so I could increase my level of intelligence and earn a Bachelor’s degree. I had an assignment of writing an argumentative essay regarding national healthcare here in the U.S. I am going to post it here so it can be discussed and debated. (Not the writing, although I’m always open to feedback. I have already completed this class and received my grade. I’d like to discuss the pros and cons of national healthcare in general and the ObamaCare plan.)
Disclaimer: Please understand that the viewpoints within this essay or the forthcoming comments do not necessarily reflect those of RVRepairNOW.com or Wild Tangent Ventures, Inc.
The Assignment was specific: Write a 3-4 page essay that answers this question: Would national healthcare result in better health care for U.S. citizens? (This is important as I had a small defined amount of space to answer a very specific question, so I had to leave out so many aspects of national healthcare. I’d be happy to discuss other aspects in our forums!)
National Healthcare – Will it Provide Better Healthcare for Americans?
By: Shane Skinner
How would an honest, tax paying American citizen feel if they were denied important healthcare coverage due to their prior medical history, even if the history was seemingly irrelevant to their current medical situation? How would anyone feel in this situation? According to a congressional committee investigation, the four largest for-profit health insurance companies, Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group, and WellPoint, refused to issue health insurance coverage to more than 651,000 Americans, equaling 1 out of 7 applicants, from 2007 through 2009 based on their prior medical history. (H.R. Rep., 2010). This inhumanity put well over half a million American taxpayers in the unthinkable situation of having to decide between absorbing costly out of pocket expenses for the necessary services or remaining ill or injured. President Obama is not the first American president to introduce a national healthcare plan, as it has been discussed in one form or another for several decades; however he is the first to get one approved. In many ways the United States is behind the times, being the last developed nation to implement some type of national healthcare system. Opponents to the “Obama Care” reform plan are attempting to lead people to believe that there will not be enough doctors to treat everyone in a timely manner and that the quality of healthcare and choice of doctors will be jeopardized. Is the possibility that current patients may have to wait longer to receive basic care a reason to prevent a reform that will create new medical care possibilities for many taxpayers? On the contrary, implementing the national healthcare reform which prevents insurance companies from denying or cancelling coverage, offers preventative services at no cost and retains the freedom of choosing your in-network physician is an effective way to ensure American citizens receive better quality healthcare.
The GOP website states, “We oppose government-run health care, which won’t protect the physician-patient relationship, won’t promote competition, and won’t promote health care quality and choice.” (Issues, 2011). Reform promotes competition because the insurance companies will have to compete for the new customers (those currently without coverage). Furthermore, losing the ability to deny coverage and cancel non-fraudulent plans will drive the companies to identify new profit making methods (customer acquisition and retention), further sparking competition. In addition, the GOP’s speculation that the reform will not promote health care quality and choice is absurd. Patients will retain the right to choose from any in-network doctor and the overall quality of care provided will be greatly improved because insurance companies cannot rescind coverage or place limits on the amount of coverage provided. Americans will also be eligible to receive certain preventative services (which they otherwise may not be able to receive) at no cost. All Americans deserve the right to receive affordable health insurance and healthcare treatment without worrying that the insurance companies could take away that right.
One of the primary benefits of the national healthcare reform is that it will protect patients from having insurance companies refuse coverage based on what they determine to be pre-existing medical conditions. The sheer number and wide age range of citizens who were denied healthcare coverage is shocking, and even more unfathomable are some of the specific cases cited. A Google search for “Children denied health care” shows several cases in which a young child was in need of care and his or her parents were denied coverage because the insurance company claimed there was a pre-existing condition. One of the most blatant cases of abuse of the system by an insurance company is the case for newborn Houston Tracy. He was born with a birth defect in his arteries and required life-saving surgery shortly after birth. However, his parents’ health insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, denied their medical claim for his surgery, claiming it was a “pre-existing condition”. (Health Care Reform, 2010). How does a newborn have a pre-existing condition? Being denied healthcare coverage puts people in a difficult predicament. They have to choose between absorbing out of pocket expenses for treatment (oftentimes these services are very cost prohibitive) or electing not to receive the treatment and risking worsened health complications later. The assurance that American Citizens will be eligible to have health insurance coupled with the inclusion of preventative services being offered free of charge to eligible patients sets a very strong foundation for the national healthcare reform.
Another way nationalized healthcare will lead to better quality healthcare is by offering preventative health services at no charge. “If your plan is subject to these new requirements, you may not have to pay a copayment, co-insurance or deductible to receive recommended preventive health services, such as screenings, vaccinations and counseling.” (Preventative Care and Services, n.d.). The article then goes on to list some of the benefits of preventative care. The first benefit focuses on early detection of possible health problems, such as cancer screenings and diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol tests. Another benefit is prevention, such as flu and pneumonia shots and routine vaccinations against other diseases. The third benefit, counseling services, covers such topics as pregnancy, smoking, alcohol use, weight loss, eating healthily and depression.
A national healthcare reform, which entitles every American citizen the opportunity to have affordable health insurance and the ability to receive important preventative health services, among many other benefits, is a necessity for the growth and continuing development of this great nation. “America is a country built on productivity; healthy citizens contribute to society, in large part, by working. These working individuals pay a substantial portion of their income in the form of federal, state, and local taxes, thus funding important governmental programs and paying for such services as public school systems. Viewed in this context, the healthcare reform act is an investment in the health of Americans–primarily working Americans–that otherwise are unable to afford or procure health insurance.” (Walter, 2010) Every citizen should stand up for their families’ rights and make sure that their state representatives know that they support the national healthcare reform.
References
Health Care Reform (2010, March 26). Newborn with birth defect denied coverage. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/26/health/main6335430.shtml
H.R. Rep. One Hundred Eleventh Congress, (2010).
Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gop.com/index.php/issues/issues/
Preventative Care and Services. (n.d.) Understanding the affordable care act: Provisions. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/preventive/index.html
Walter, A. (2010). Counterpoint: The patient protection & affordable care act fulfills a natural right of all American citizens. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=55821067&site=pov-live
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