HEALTH CARE REFORMS

Health Care Reforms

Health Care Reforms

Introduction

A majority of the Republican Presidential Candidates supports healthcare provided by private insurance companies, but with changes to the system. There are some proposals that include government participation, but mostly at the state, not federal, level. Their healthcare policies mainly focus on private insurance, with more competition and choices. The party does not support government-sponsored healthcare, but rather trying to make healthcare insurance more affordable (Dutton, Paul 2007 173). They want the healthcare system to increase with consumer choice, consumer control and real competition. Republicans believe it is important that we have price transparency within our health care system. This offers consumers, who are either enrolled in high deductible health plans or who pay out-of-pocket, the ability to shop around for the best prices and plan for health care expenditures.

Discussion

The Democrat Party wants families without insurance to get coverage at an affordable price. President Obama's goal is to make a public health plan available nationwide for the uninsured, self-employed and small businesses, giving them access to benefits similar to those available to members of Congress (Smith-Campbell 2000 295). He wants families with insurance to pay less and get more security and choices, and businesses and other employers to find it cheaper and easier to cover their workers. Obama also wants to provide affordable, complete and portable health coverage for every American, modernizing the U.S. health care system to contain rising health care costs and improve the quality of patient care, and strengthening public health to prevent disease and protect against natural and man-made disasters.

The elderly believes the rising health care costs, constant gaps in the use of recommended services, and the threat of Medicare bankruptcy all weaken the health care that the program's beneficiary need and deserve. They want guaranteeing access to affordable coverage for Americans who are of age 50 to 64. Senior citizens want access to generic versions of biologic drugs used to treat cancer and other serious diseases to reduce the price of the costly treatments.

Although doctors don't have a lot of say in the issue, they do want to keep a few things. The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest medical association of physicians in the nation and they represent physicians from every state and specialty. The AMA wants to protect the sacred relationship between patients and physicians without interference by insurance companies or the government (Haas 2001 172). Physicians also want affordable health insurance for everybody through a choice of plans and eliminate denials for pre-existing conditions. Since we don't know yet what will be in the health reform bill, we do not know for sure how the bill will affect the economy. If they do pass Obama's proposed health care plan, then there are several downsides on how it will affect the economy.

The speech was a success on several measures. It was passionate, which is essential if he is to win over a sceptical American public and energise his liberal base (Capell 2000 ...