US Health Care System-please explain

[elodie21]

I started off reading on the Tea Party and ended up going back in history to the time of Reagan and present day heath care politics in the US. I read the arguments people have against the two Bills passed in 2010 by the Obama administration but here's the thing, what exactly is so bad about them

Comments

[smittenbyu]

Few notes:

1. Expensive bill - will add to the huge deficit. In addition, it could be a burden for small business owners, who can't afford buying their employees insurance.

2. There are some people who feel that the healthcare will be covering people who are lazy (poor = lazy) - I don't get it but yeah... that's the belief. That their hard earned money will cover drug addicts having too many kids living on welfare. But these very people are against woman's choice of abortion and sex education and use of condoms. (I guess this is my bias in the opinion)

But the thing is, we already pay a huge lumpsum for the uninsured. My hospital bill when D was born covered part of the unpaid bills of the uninsured who get treatment. If these people were covered our expenses would/could go down (assuming a bunch of other reform actually occured on the system). So their reasoning that their hard earned money is going to cover them, well is empty cause they ARE already paying for them - just a lot more!

3. Politics - nothing more needs to be said

4. No one actually (including the politicians) has actually read the Bill - go back to #3

5. This Bill was a compromise from offering Universal Healthcare (similar to Canada or UK system). But many still think that is included in the Bill. Again, go back to #4

6. As for protecting branded prescription drugs - drug companies have that much of lobbying power

7. Plus the "penalty" goes towards insurance the person will get from the government instead.

8. Republican Party's slogan has been - saying "No" to everything Democrats/Obama propose. Go back to #3

[elodie21]

Thanks :) Thats pretty much what I could make out and so was confused as to the whole anti-bill sentiments I was reading about. A lot of nay sayers but I couldn't really make out the WHY part. I agree with your point 2, plus I feel there will be free-loaders but also those who have genuine issues and need that little bit of coverage. Not everyone can be a freeloader I guess. Its not that bad a thing to help another! I agree with you!

I read Paul Krugman's column (he really explains thing wonderfully) and he advocates increased government spending to create jobs and infuse money in the system which he says is the only thing to help the recession. Though in this case I don't think new jobs per se will be created. However, health is a prerogative and basic right, not really something the government can give when it is economically viable. Though I can see where the argument comes from, right now Obama could have first focused on the economy and once things were stable, pushed in the health care reforms without having to compromise (as these are watered down versions of his original plans).