In a world of hierarchy, where money consumption forms a “higher-class” and “lower-class”, it is extremely difficult to achieve a “fair” health care system in which all citizens have equal opportunities. One of the greatest issues America is facing with health care is the price to purchase it. This issue has caused health care to rise as one of the major campaign promises by both candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama. Although both are working towards a similar goal, giving all American citizens easier access to health care, the way in which it is achieved differs, and therefore causes debate. In 2006, it was reported that 47 million Americans are without health care insurance. How do our new Presidential candidates plan to fix this?
On one side, Senator John McCain plans to provide more choices, allow greater tax benefits, and strengthen employers coverage. By providing more choices, John McCain is taxing health care benefits, making the money go directly to the insurance company that the American family chooses to get coverage from, anywhere in the nation. This allows the family to have choice in the insurance their family will be receiving. To some families the right to choose on their own, allowing them to choose what they think is "best" for their children is extremely important. However, McCain's plan have the effect of increasing tax payments for some workers, primarily those with high incomes and expensive health plans.
On the other side, Obama wishes to create a new plan. Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year.If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options. Overall, Obama is working to increase the quality, affordable & portable health coverage for all.
So how do these candidates plan on carrying out their plans? Obama plans to expand employer-based health care, as well as to offer federal health care.The McCain plan wants to do away with employer-based health insurance, and instead let Americans do it. The McCain plan would give a $2,500 tax credit to individuals and a $5,000 credit to families to buy health insurance.
So which is the "better" plan? Which candidate will bring America prosperity and help drag us out of the repression we are experiencing? Or are neither of these plans going to help?
On the other side, Obama wishes to create a new plan. Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year.If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options. Overall, Obama is working to increase the quality, affordable & portable health coverage for all.
So how do these candidates plan on carrying out their plans? Obama plans to expand employer-based health care, as well as to offer federal health care.The McCain plan wants to do away with employer-based health insurance, and instead let Americans do it. The McCain plan would give a $2,500 tax credit to individuals and a $5,000 credit to families to buy health insurance.
So which is the "better" plan? Which candidate will bring America prosperity and help drag us out of the repression we are experiencing? Or are neither of these plans going to help?
1 comment:
The problem with McCain's plan is that it does not address one of the fundamental ways that insurance companies manipulate the free market system in their favor: pre-existing conditions.
Insurance companies use pre-existing conditions to keep their premiums arbitrarily high, drop your coverage or sky rocket your rates if someone on your plan gets sick, and to prevent you from shopping around for better rates.
I became acutely aware of this issue when I started my own business about a year ago. I went to get health insurance, and no insurance company would cover me because I had high cholesterol (at any cost!!!). Fortunately, I got my cholesterol down and got coverage. But can you imagine if this had been a more serious illness that wouldn’t go away? I wouldn’t have been able to start my own business.
Most people don’t realize it, but we are all one illness away from losing everything. Even if you have great coverage from your employer, if you get sick and can’t work, you lose your coverage. And with an illness, you will not be able to get coverage on your own. So guess what, everything you have will be gone, and the insurance company will have avoided paying your cost of care.
My final point is that pre-existing conditions also make it very difficult for small businesses to cover their employees (and the same would apply to individuals shopping for their own coverage). The system is configured so that when a small business first gets coverage, their rates are relatively low if no one on the plan is sick. Then, each year, rates go up fast. It is difficult for a small business to shop around because you have to fill out detailed documentation related to health history for everyone in your group. Any little snag from you or any of your employees (or their family members that may be covered under your plan), will prevent you from switching around. This enables insurance companies to avoid normal competition and keep their premiums high, and it also enables them to drop you if anyone gets sick.
What I like about Obama’s plan is that he cuts the legs out from under insurance companies, simply by adding a law that prevents them from using pre-existing conditions. This doesn’t cost the tax payers a dime!!!
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