I am doing a commentary on President Barack Obamas Healthcare Reform. I like millions of Americans have no health insurance. I have the option to have health coverage through my employer but a good chunk would come out of my paycheck every 2 weeks that I feel that I could use that money to pay my everyday living expenses. To live in the land of opportunity its saddening to know most Americans have to choose between paying for health coverage and putting your health on hold just to have enough money to pay for groceries to last you until your next paycheck.
Alot of people are against the government taking over the healthcare system but if Obama's administration is in a position to help us get coverage I see no reason for them to not be involved. The administration believes that the health reform should assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans, it should maintain coverage when you change or lose a job, and it should end barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions. I had experienced a situation when I first found out I was pregnant and trying to get health insurance-first most insurance companies wouldn't take me because of my pre-existing condition and the companies that would cover me their monthly premiums were outrageously priced.
The Healthcare Reform benefits for Texas would give us choices on insurance prices and health plans, it would help us to decide which quality affordable option is right for me and my family. Also the reform will work to create a system that prevented illness and disease instead of just treating it when its too late and costs more. In addition, the healthcare reform will extend coverage to 11 million children and will cover kids dental,vision, and hearing needs.
I know for me not having health insurance is soemthing hanging over my head especially now that I will have 2 kids I feel a greater urgency to get health insurance. Thankfully enough my son is insured but its such a burden to know how expensive health coverage is and how much of a necessity it is as well. I hope the Obama administration and Congress can come to some agreement to make the lives of millions of Americans easier and better.
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While it is certainly true that an argument for universal health care can be made, and probably should be, there is the question of just how far it should go? Many people who advocate it refer to it as a right, and this has certain merit as well. But what are the boundaries on that right? There are three particular areas that concern me; elective procedures, mental health, and the extension of the 'health right' to other areas.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to elective procedures, should universal health care cover an aging women who wants to get botox? Should it cover a person who was injured and needs reconstructive surgery for their face? I would answer 'no' to the first and 'yes' to the second. But what is the dividing line between them? How far is too far with regard to using public funds for personal health care? Let's assume dental services are included and a teen is injured in a minor car crash and needs some dental reconstruction. Should we pay for the gold tooth bling or force the child to accept a lesser level of coverage? What about eye coverage and frames? I can say from personal experience that my spending $300 on titanium frames was in the long run cheaper than buying several pair of plastic or steel frames as I've had them for many years and the amortized cost is only a few tens of dollars a year. How can this 'fuzzy' boundary between necessary and desirable be measured and monitored? How can it be abused from both the perspective of the recipeint or the provider?
Looking at mental health raises an even fuzzier perspective it seems to me. Just exactly what should be covered? A teenagers angst or perhaps their real suicidal tendencies brought on by anorexia? What is a good procedural method for deciding which side of the line a particular case is on? Should it include family counceling, alcoholism or drug dependencies? Would this be a good avenue to pursue for the legalizatio nof drugs and the movement of their problems to social and medical circles?
Once we start talking about the right to health care, what about guaranteed housing? Considering the level of hunger in the country, should it include basic food over and above current programs? How about th extension of legal council and services over and above those referenced in the 4th Amendment? It seems to me that we need to be very careful where we take this 'right' claim so that it is not misappropriated in some unintended way.