Health Care In United States - Research Paper Example

The Justification for Universal Healthcare The health care issue has been a divisive and explosive topic during several eras of American history. The past 18 years the debate has surfaced twice again, during a failed effort to pass a health reform law by the Clinton administration during the 1990’s and from the time Obama was elected President culminating when he signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) into law. Though it is a groundbreaking and historic law, neither side of the political aisle is content with the outcome.

The PPACA is projected to decrease the federal deficit by $143 billion during the first 10 years and $1.5 Trillion for the next ten years (2020-2030). (Holohan, 2010) Thanks to the PPACA 32 million more of the most economically vulnerable Americans will have access to health insurance. (Health Reform Act, 2011) The PPACA is landmark legislation many thought would never occur and was a hard fought success for President Obama and what was at the time a Democratic dominated congress. It addressed many significant health issues and will facilitate millions of citizens while saving the nation billions of dollars.

However, the PPACA is not universal health care or even close to it. Going further than the PPACA by ratifying universal health care would radically reduce the burden lower and middle income family’s face due to healthcare costs while also reducing the division of health care services along family economic lines. Most Americans share the same opinion as the majority of the industrialized world. Society has a shared moral responsibility, to offer everyone health care without concern for the amount of money they have.

When asked “do you think the federal government should guarantee health care for all Americans?” Americans support health care that is guaranteed by the federal government by a pretty wide margin of 62-38 percent. (Kleefeld, 2009) The expression ‘America is number one!’ is frequently stated but only can be accurately applied to economic and military prowess. This phrase does not include many issues especially the quality, affordability and accessibility of health care. “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).

America ranked 37th place, just behind Costa Rica and ahead of Cuba according to the most recent health care system listing by the World Health Organization. Those that do not support the idea of universal health care such as health insurance and pharmaceutical companies in addition to politically conservative partisans persist to describe this system as ‘socialized medicine.’ (Brase, 2010) Labeling the PPACA or Universal health Care as socialism elicits fears of a communist ideology and invokes the image of the ‘red menace’ creeping into American culture.

Because health insurance companies would still exist universal health care cannot be truthfully described as socialized medicine. “Socialized medicine is a system in which the government owns the means of providing medicine. In a socialized system, the government employs the doctors and nurses, builds and owns the hospitals, and bargains for and purchases the technology.” (Klein, 2009) Though a good first step, the PPACA falls short as compared to the desired goal of universal health care system.

PPACA was signed into law only following nasty debates pitting lies against the truth, indifference versus compassion and cost savings against soaring health care costs that are increasingly out of reach for millions and a major contributing factor in the bankrupting of the country. Currently, America is the only ‘civilized’ nation that allows health care to be generally considered as just another commodity. We are confirming what the rest of the world strongly suspects, that our morals are based on money alone.

If people have money they are significant enough to enjoy quality health care, if not, too bad. This reality is not only embarrassing, it is a despicable circumstance. Works Cited Brase, Twila RN “How Socialized Medicine (“Obamacare”) Will Impact Your Choices, Pocketbook and Freedom.” Citizens Council on Health Care (2010) June 11, 2011 “Health Reform Act.” The White House (2011) June 11, 2011 Holahan, John “Will Health Care Reform Increase the Deficit and National Debt? Timely Analysis of Immediate Health Policy Issues” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (August 2010) June 11, 2011 Kleefeld, Eric “Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Favor Universal Health Care -- Until Taxes Are Mentioned.

” Talking Points Memo D.C. (May 29, 2009). June 11, 2011 Klein, Ezra “Health Reform for Beginners” The Washington Post (June 9, 2009) June 11, 2011 Presse, Agence France. “U.S. Health System Ranks Last Compared to Other Countries” (May 15, 2007). June 11, 2011