One of the pillars of the Obama administration's platform is health care, working on the assumption that popular sentiment in the United States and practical need alike mandate a reform of the country's health care sector. This is one of the most comprehensive proposals in the history of health provision in America and seems to be in line with other Obama initiatives that call for a more active role on the part of government.
Because of this, the Health Care Reform Bill has encountered serious opposition from many Americans, who maintain it counters the principles of small government, free enterprise and freedom of choice. Comparisons to socialist countries have also surfaced, maintaining the spirit of the reform is un-American.
Significance
The only government-backed health care options in the United States pending passage of the Obama initiative are Medicare and Medicaid, but these two are not universal and only offer services to specific sections of the population. Importantly, they do not cover working, middle-of-the-road Americans.
At the same time, the administration has claimed lack of competition in the health care industry and rising costs are making it harder for Americans to obtain quality services they can afford. The purpose of this reform is to provide universal health care as a baseline to all Americans.
Additional Issues
The government has also said the reform will address problems beyond affordability. Primary among these are lack of true competition in the health care industry, insufficient information sharing and accountability, lack of consumer choice and a need for more scientific research.
Effects
The main focus of the Obama plan is universal inclusion of all Americans under a cohesive health insurance plan. As of this writing, the government estimates some 50 million people in the United States do not have any health insurance, causing significant social strife and suffering--with many going bankrupt over medical bills. With a view to centrally managed health care systems such as the ones in the United Kingdom and Canada, the government is aiming to extend coverage to everyone while maintaining choice.
Children's Insurance
A big part of the reform is the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, signed by President Barack Obama in February 2009. This segment of the reform basically guarantees health insurance to all children (minors) in the United States, regardless of all other factors.
Preventive Care
The government is also saying current health care in the United States is focused too much on health maintenance and medication, rather than on prevention. The reform aims to shift the focus to research and preventive care with a view to reducing costs and keeping people from getting sick in the first place.
Features
The reform creates a National Health Insurance Exchange that mixes public-backed and private insurance products, all available to everyone. Public health care will be available to everyone regardless of income or health factors, with the government supervising the industry through clearer standards, pricing rules and information-sharing principles.
Financing
Funding for the reform is slated to come from the government as well as employers, who will be required to contribute. At the same time, employees collecting health insurance benefits are to have a choice--keep their existing plan or shop for a new one at the National Health Insurance Exchange.
Tax cuts for wealthy Americans may be scrapped to offer additional funding for the reform--initially families earning $250,000 annually were said to be the threshold, but later this number went up to $300,000.
While the government estimates its cost at about $50 to $65 billion a year, opponents, such as Republican governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty, say the true cost is much higher and would come out of the pockets of working Americans.
Opposition figures, such as Congressman Kevin Brady in the Republican party and organizations including Conservatives for Patients' Rights, are also citing fears of big government, inefficient management and violation of state and patient rights as reasons to not go ahead with the reform.
Tags: health care, United States, available everyone, care industry, competition health, competition health care, government also
