Healthcare Crisis in the USA - Essay Example

Universal Health Care for US too That the inadequate healthcare system needs a significant an immediate overhaul is undeniable. Health care professionals understand the problems associated with the failing system more so than anyone and are the first to voice their concerns. Americans of all political ideologies agree too many individuals and families are uninsured or underinsured and that health care costs are higher than necessary but Republican and Democratic lawmakers disagree on the solution. Unlike other industrialized countries, economic status plays a major role in determining health status for Americans, a despicable circumstance in the minds of Europeans who enjoy cradle-to-grave medical care. They consider it a birthright. Taking care of the nations sick without regard to their social position is a responsibility civilized society’s embrace, at least those outside the U.S. The Republican solution is to give tax incentives to individuals and businesses that purchase health insurance but this would not address the root of the problem. Democrats favor what is termed as a ‘single payer’ system, otherwise referred to as universal health care, a more efficient system that covers everyone, essentially emulating a similar approach employed by Britain, Canada, Cuba, Brazil, Russia, Japan, western European countries and many other nations. Implementing universal health care will significantly reduce the burden of escalating healthcare costs and eliminate the quality of care divide in this country that exists between wealthy and the other 95 percent of the population. Most Americans identify the health care crisis is one of the main concerns facing the nation as evidenced by the amount of rhetoric allocated to this issue in the current presidential debates, at least on the Democratic side. The majority of Americans concurs with the majority of the world’s population in that a society has the responsibility to care for its sick and injured without regardless of their financial status. “Nearly seven in ten respondents go so far as indicating they would be willing to pay more in federal taxes to assure that every American citizen has health care coverage” (“Who should pay” 2004). That more than 40 million Americans do not have health insurance is widely acknowledged but those who are insured often cannot afford the medical care they require. A universal health care system similar to what is offered the bulk of the ‘civilized’ world should not be a matter of debate, it should be a reality. It’s what the public desires and moreover, what they deserve as U.S. citizens. Many times we hear the phrase, ‘America is number one!’ but of course this applies to economic and military prowess only and certainly does not include other areas, the quality and affordability of health care in particular. “The United States, which has the most expensive health system in the world, underperforms consistently relative to other countries and differs most notably in the fact that Americans have no universal health insurance coverage” (Presse, 2007). The U.S. is unquestionably not number one with regards to health care delivery. The infant mortality rate in America ranks 23rd worldwide, 20th in life expectancy and trails Botswana, coming in at 67th with regard to child immunizations and this is just a partial list. Overall, the U.S. and the very poor third-world country of Cuba are neck-and-neck in providing health care to its citizens. “The United States ranks poorly relative to other industrialized nations in health care despite having the best trained health care providers and the best medical infrastructure of any industrialized nation” (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Those opposed to universal health care such as insurance and pharmaceutical companies have characterized this system as ‘socialized medicine.’ This moniker elicits fears of communist ideals, the ‘red menace’ creeping into American society. Universal health care, however, cannot be accurately describes as socialized medicine. “It is health care payment system, health care providers would be in fee for service practice, and would not be employees of the government, which would be socialized medicine” (Battista, McCabe, 1999). If the single-payer system can be categorized as socialism then other worthwhile endeavors such as the military can be as well. Few, if any, are opposed to socialized police, fire and ambulance services or would want to privatize the public school system. Americans of all political leanings are willing to finance these important services yet some, those influenced by the fear-mongering of insurance and pharmaceutical lobbying efforts, would deny health care delivered by the same method. Meeting the health needs of people is as or more important than the other services currently supplied in a socialistic means. “In the United States, certain publicly funded health care programs help to provide for the elderly, disabled, military service families and veterans, and the poor and federal law ensures public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay; however, a system of universal health care has not been implemented” (“Universal” 2005). In a universal, or single-payer, health care system, the government accumulates tax monies from individuals and businesses to finance health care facilities that are freely open to everyone. Implementing such a system would mean an end to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO’s) and insurance companies that provide health insurance, a fact few are heartbroken about. Universal health care is not simply a humanitarian concern which alone would be reason enough to rally support for it but continuing with the present system will push many more families to the brink of financial ruin as well. In September of 2006, in a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, it was shown Americans paid an average of $11,500 for family health care benefits through their employer (Leonhardt, 2006). This is a 7.7 percent rise from the previous year. Benefit cost have doubled since 1999 but wages and corporation revenues, which heavily subsidize insurance, have risen only fractionally. The term spiraling and healthcare costs have become conjoined in common language usage and this is creating an economic crisis for both employers and employees. According to David Leonhardt (2006), the average person spent just under $100 a year for health care benefits or the equivalent of $500 in today’s dollars in 1950. In 2005, the average person spent close to $6,000. “In a new Christian Science Monitor/TIPP poll, 54 percent of respondents reported that their healthcare costs had increased in the past year, hurting family finances” (Sappenfield, 2002). Most Americans identify the health care crisis is one of the main concerns facing the nation as evidenced by the amount of rhetoric allocated to this issue in the current presidential debates, at least on the Democratic side. The majority of Americans concurs with the majority of the world’s population in that a society has the responsibility to care for its sick and injured without regardless of their financial status. “Nearly seven in ten respondents go so far as indicating they would be willing to pay more in federal taxes to assure that every American citizen has health care coverage” (“Who should pay” 2004). That more than 40 million Americans do not have health insurance is widely acknowledged but those who are insured often cannot afford the medical care they require. A universal health care system similar to what is offered the bulk of the ‘civilized’ world should not be a matter of debate, it should be a reality. It’s what the public desires and moreover, what they deserve as U.S. citizens. Many times we hear the phrase, ‘America is number one!’ but of course this applies to economic and military prowess only and certainly does not include other areas, the quality and affordability of health care in particular. “The United States, which has the most expensive health system in the world, underperforms consistently relative to other countries and differs most notably in the fact that Americans have no universal health insurance coverage” (Presse, 2007). The U.S. is unquestionably not number one with regards to health care delivery. The infant mortality rate in America ranks 23rd worldwide, 20th in life expectancy and trails Botswana, coming in at 67th with regard to child immunizations and this is just a partial list. Overall, the U.S. and the very poor third-world country of Cuba are neck-and-neck in providing health care to its citizens. “The United States ranks poorly relative to other industrialized nations in health care despite having the best trained health care providers and the best medical infrastructure of any industrialized nation” (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Currently, the U.S. is the only industrialized, ‘civilized’ country that allows its citizens to be refused health care due to their inability to pay. Americans are needlessly suffering and dying while vast amounts of money is being wasted, all for no reason other than the stubbornness of the leaders of the country to address the problem. It’s not because universal health care does not make sense economically or politically. The insurance and pharmaceutical industries are large contributors to politicians and have the funds to bombard the media with self-serving propaganda designed scare people into continuing the current failed system. Americans should be appalled and ashamed at the system and themselves for being so blindly manipulated. Works Cited Battista, John R., M.D. McCabe, Justine, Ph.D. “Talk Given To The Association of State Green Parties” (June 4, 1999). January 21, 2008 Leonhardt, David. “The Choice: A Longer Life or More Stuff.” New York Times. (September 27, 2006). January 21, 2008 Presse, Agence France. “U.S. Health System Ranks Last Compared to Other Countries” (May 15, 2007). January 21, 2008 Read More