Health Care Justice for All

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Obama and the Health Care Debate

November 9, 2009

Natalie Audelo, Asst. Community Editor  

Filed under Opinions

Currently, 30 million Americans are without access to medical care. This creates a social injustice, violating the American principle of equality. Reliable coverage should be available for all, not simply for the healthiest individuals or the wealthiest sectors of society. Obama’s proposed plan is the best way to achieve this.

                As individuals lacking medical care visit emergency rooms to receive treatment, tax payers end up footing the bill, not the insurance companies. According to President Obama, these charges average at $1,000 per year. We, the people, pay the price for the inadequacies of the healthcare program. Healthcare costs are still on the rise as those uninsured often fall into bankruptcy in the midst of requiring urgent care. According to the National Coalition on Healthcare, 62 percent of all bankruptcies filed in 2007 were related to medical expenses. Even those families with health insurance are paying extraordinarily high prices, forced to pay out of pocket expenses for prescription drugs. Shouldn’t it be the responsibility of the insurance companies to cover the full extent of an individual’s medical needs?

                Echoing President Obama’s plea, we must act quickly, ignoring the countless scare tactics, fictitious rumors and demonization of the current administration. This plan will reinforce the basic principle of healthcare that has been so recently overlooked, the importance of protecting the social fabric of society.

The currently proposed plan will not get rid of existing programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. It will simply regulate the power of the insurance companies and their governing policies. They will no longer be able to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, drop an individual’s coverage in the event of an illness and cap the amount of coverage an individual can rightfully obtain. Out of pocket expenses will also be limited.

This is not a government takeover of the healthcare system; it is a needed reformation to the current system. Obama has included an insurance exchange component which will place control and opportunity in the hands of the people. Individuals and small business owners will be able to select a healthcare plan best suited to their needs. Although small business owners may change their health insurance, the basic healthcare plan will remain the same, providing individuals with the same benefits as senators and other government officials. This healthcare plan will not provide sub-par coverage, but will ameliorate current healthcare management.

This exchange program will create competition among insurance companies, resulting in the development of a just, thriving industry. Currently, a few select insurance companies monopolize the market. In 34 states, 75 percent of the insurance industry is controlled by less than five companies. Insurance companies are able to charge higher premiums, as there are few available coverage options for state residents. Companies are able to treat the American people poorly and with minimal repercussions.

The system is unjust, running at the expense of the American people. By reforming healthcare, much of the injustices can be adequately addressed. The money allocated to healthcare can be re-apportioned in order to pay for universal coverage, a basic plan for all. As Ted Kennedy wrote, “What we face is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.”

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Tags: health care, Obama