Current Health Care Reform - Essay Example

Under this plan, the government will increase the amount of money taxed to people, and insurance companies will also play a crucial role. The plan is to be fully implemented in 2014, and several legal specifications indicate that it would influence the most of people in a good way as compared to a variety of issues which they normally reject since they assume they are costly. For those who cannot get insurance, there will be a sliding scale of subsidies created to help pay their premiums (Miranda, 2010).

Under this plan, pre-existing conditions will not be used by insurance firms to refuse to pay up on health claims. The government will fund Medicare even more by adding 250 dollars to be used in covering prescriptions. Pursuant to this, it is projected that those who paid 100 percent will only be required to pay 25 percent by the year of 2012. This is projected to cost the government the excess of 938 billion within the next 10 years (Andrews, 2012). Furthermore, under the Patient Protection and affordable Care Act plan, more lavish benefits of Medicare, such as gym membership, hearing aids and the likes, are not planned to have been cut.

Increases in taxes can also be seen in the fact that, for instance, couples making 250,000 annually will be taxed 1.45 to 2.35 by the year 2013. People with higher incomes will be taxed at the rate of 2.8 percent on the income that is not earned, such as interest and dividends (Miranda, 2010). Those enjoying indoor tanning facilities will be compelled to pay 10 percent more in taxes. The main influence behind the health care bill was, of course, President Barrack Obama whose administration has been instrumental in pushing for and promoting these health reforms.

In congress, the bill has not been popular but the Democrats have put their weight behind the bill, since they insist it aims at ensuring all citizens will access to health insurance. In 2011 the final vote was 220 to 207 with all the Republicans voting against, but the bill eventually passed (Andrews, 2012). It actually makes employers play a greater role in the provision of their employees with health insurance. As a matter of fact, passing the bill was not an easy job as the process was fraught with political interferences and parties’ politics.

In 2011, the Senate repealed the bill but the Supreme Court overturned this appeal. In an unexpected move, Justice Roberts voted for the bill justifying his reasoning by saying that the Constitution allows Congress to, whether based on actions or inactions, assess taxes. This had great influence in saving the plan from the opposition of the Republicans. In the Senate, the bill has been favored by the majority of Democrats who have supported the bill. While the Republicans consider it an unnecessary and expensive tax, the supporters of Democrats claim that it should not be repealed, since it would take away medical care for millions.

Public opinion is divided and is expected to be reflected in the November elections. Republicans are using the opposition for this to rally people against Obama in the re-election. In fact, the plan is tailored to fit with the majority’s requirement and, since it will provide cheaper insurance and health cover for millions, a sizeable number will support it. When Romney tried to tell an audience of voters that the Republicans would do away with Obama’s health reforms, he was booed. This is the evidence that quite a