President Clintons and Obamas Healthcare Policies - Essay Example

? President Clinton’s and Obama’s health care policies Summary Health care policies have often been chosen as key factors in the policies of different governments. President Barak Obama and his team put much emphasis on relations balancing between financial background of the policy and medical services in the country. Mr. President is sure that the American society needs much help and a strong background of his words is the fact that 84 percent of American population is covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The Americans are worth of being offered high-quality health insurance and they can pay for it. Under these conditions Barak Obama initiates his cooperation with the American Medical Association. The same attempts have been initiated by another President Bill Clinton, who launched his health care program in 1993-94. The Democratic majorities supported the President in his attempts, but they did not succeed in a holistic implementation of the policy. Population of America did not accept these attempts of Clinton. What is the difference between these two different types of health care policies? Actually, whether these policies are more individually-oriented or whether they are much focused on the interests of the governmental authorities? To give the answer to this question, it is necessary to take into account different pros and cons of health policies in America and the way they have been identified and implemented in the country. Moreover, a special attention should be paid to key players and their roles in these policies' development. Health Care Policy Players Actually, with respect to these two policies, it is easy to identify two main players: the Presidents play the leading roles in the policies' introduction and further implementation. Clinton placed stake on the nation and the public attention to the phenomenon of the universal health care. He wanted to implement his policy with the help of public sector. In other words he wanted to appeal for the official representatives of the public sector, i.e. to employers. The insurance market should have been more attentive to ability of employers to pay for their employees. The Clinton government underlined the necessity of combination both liberal issues and conservative methods. Employer-sponsored insurance failed in America and the government of President Clinton realized that official parties failed in the implementation of insurance policy in America (Oberlander, 2007). The Health Insurance Association of America was developing under intense relations between federal powers and financial sector during period of Clinton's power. Obama's policy has been developed under more favorable conditions. Firstly, he made an emphasis not only on official players of the policy, but also on unofficial players of the health insurance policy. Physicians and common citizens were key players identified by Obama. He wanted medical services to work in favor of the society. He was much more focused on an individualistic approach. He strongly cooperated with the patients and the physicians. His approach was more common and readily accepted by the public. Of course, there were both opponents and proponents with respect to his policy. Financial emphasis was made by the President Obama, when he increased financing by 46.3% in comparison with 2011 (Smith, 2011). Medicaid and Medicare insurance systems were presented by the President as inexpensive and affordable ones. At the same time, the number of physicians was decreased and this factor was not a positive factor in the development of Obama's policy. Similarly, the number of patients increased greatly. Obama's insurance system was referred to as “ObamaCare.” This health care policy is well-known for the public and the American society often refers to this policy as to one of the most successful health care policies ever experienced by America. Influences of Key Players Clinton’s government developed its policy in a wrong direction. Health care was considered to be a great contribution to health industry stakeholders. Thus, it can be claimed that the root of the conflict can be found in a shift of financial accents of health insurance policy. This policy has been developed on the background on constant political tension relations. Initially, the main emphasis was made on financial issues and the range of financial coverage reached more than $2 trillion and it was very difficult to make this policy affordable and available. Key triggers for Barak Obama's policy can be identified in the area of realistic prospects for health insurance policies development. The main conflict in his policy cedes between tensions of poor and rich layers of the society; between physicians and the patients. For example, very often opponents of the policy argue that Obama healthcare policy is very expensive. Actually, there are two key actors in the sphere of innovative health care policy developed by the President Barak Obama, which are Medical Association and governmental powers. There is also a social background, where all these policies are being developed, these are common citizens. Very often the antagonists can be answered in the following way: the issue of health care is of high importance nowadays, because the citizens of America have not been interested in the issues of their health in previous years (Smith, 2011). On the one hand, Barak Obama made the same emphasis on employers and their influence in cooperation with employees, but on the other hand the employers are more attentive in providing their employees with medical insurance and health care (Buchmueller & Monheit, 2009). Though the main emphasis is made on individualistic approach, very often Obama health care policy is criticized by the subjects/individuals/common citizens. At the same time, Obama underlines the importance of the nation's welfare and the needs of separate individuals. Conclusion Clinton's attempts to make the nation healthier and Obama's proceedings in this field have finally borne fruits. It can be said that health care policies development is a thorny path, which can be crossed by experienced authorities and loyal individuals, who are subjected to the implementation of the policies. Americans are currently more interested in the issues of their health. Political influence of Barak Obama concerns different layers of the modern citizens. Modern Americans can evaluate the health care system and its implications. There is an evident well-balanced interrelationship between the society and the government, i.e. the subjects of ObamaCare is in well-balanced relations with the developers of the policy. Clinton's attempts can be referred to as grains of future healthcare and medicine policy in America. Future development of policy development by Barak Obama has resulted in more successful results. References Buchmueller, T. C., & Monheit, A. C. (2009). Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance and the Form & Reform: The Economic Realities of the United States Healthcare System. Journal of Law and Health, 23(2), 89-112. ObamaCare: Three Months of Broken Promises. Retrieved from: http://www.speaker.gov/UploadedFiles/ObamaCare3MonthsBrokenPromises.pdf Oberlander, J. Ph.D. (2007). Learning from Failure in Health Care Reform. The New England Journal of Medicine, 357, 1677-1679. Smith, C. R. (2011). The skeleton key: will the federal health care reform legislation unlock the solutions to diverse dilemmas arising from the state health care reform laboratories? Journal of Law and Health, 24(1), 79+. Read More