2008 Woodie Awards
Obama plans to fix health care
Matt Farmer
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Opinion
Barack Obama's health care plan is not a socialistic "takeover" of the health care industry, like many seem to think.
Instead, Obama wants to provide insurance to those who cannot afford it and address some concerns the health care industry is facing.
Millions of Americans currently cannot afford insurance. More are provided very poor insurance from their employers and pay high premiums and high deductible.
This is due to the ever increasing health care cost due to inefficiencies of the system. We spend 40 percent more on health care than other countries, such as Canada and Switzerland, yet, we do not get the same out of it.
Obama plans on reducing the costs of health care in several ways.
First, Obama plans on increasing competition in drug and insurance markets, while closing loopholes that many drug companies exploit under our current system.
Next, he plans on modernizing the equipment used by our health care industry. He will also put a great effort into preventative health care.
On top of all of this, Obama plans on offering a national insurance program that's similar to what our U.S. congressmen get today. This option would be primarily for those who cannot afford insurance.
Research suggests that Obama's health care plan would cover 34 million uninsured people.
However, this is not the only incentive to support Obama's plan. If the cost of health care goes down and the incentives for employee insurance programs go up, we will see a rise in the employment rate, as many potential jobs are currently priced out due to required health care costs.
People currently uninsured will be able to take care of illnesses early, and not require the government to pay for higher costs down the line.
Now, let's contrast this with McCain's plan.
McCain wants to lend U.S. families a $5,000 health care tax credit or individuals a $2,500 tax credit. The cost is that the previous health care benefits for small businesses will be phased out.
This will lead to a massive drop in employer coverage, forcing the public to go navigate the individual market with the government's tax credits.
McCain's plan also does not address the "currently very-ill," allowing individual insurers to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
The current average of cost on middle and lower income people is currently about $12,000 per family. So, John McCain's plan leads to less incentives to get household coverage and builds road blocks for family preventative health care.
It also doesn't address the rising costs of health care, and how the tax credits will adapt to that in the future.
Our health care industry is inefficient, and everyone can agree that it is in need of change. Obama is the one to bring us that change.
Instead, Obama wants to provide insurance to those who cannot afford it and address some concerns the health care industry is facing.
Millions of Americans currently cannot afford insurance. More are provided very poor insurance from their employers and pay high premiums and high deductible.
This is due to the ever increasing health care cost due to inefficiencies of the system. We spend 40 percent more on health care than other countries, such as Canada and Switzerland, yet, we do not get the same out of it.
Obama plans on reducing the costs of health care in several ways.
First, Obama plans on increasing competition in drug and insurance markets, while closing loopholes that many drug companies exploit under our current system.
Next, he plans on modernizing the equipment used by our health care industry. He will also put a great effort into preventative health care.
On top of all of this, Obama plans on offering a national insurance program that's similar to what our U.S. congressmen get today. This option would be primarily for those who cannot afford insurance.
Research suggests that Obama's health care plan would cover 34 million uninsured people.
However, this is not the only incentive to support Obama's plan. If the cost of health care goes down and the incentives for employee insurance programs go up, we will see a rise in the employment rate, as many potential jobs are currently priced out due to required health care costs.
People currently uninsured will be able to take care of illnesses early, and not require the government to pay for higher costs down the line.
Now, let's contrast this with McCain's plan.
McCain wants to lend U.S. families a $5,000 health care tax credit or individuals a $2,500 tax credit. The cost is that the previous health care benefits for small businesses will be phased out.
This will lead to a massive drop in employer coverage, forcing the public to go navigate the individual market with the government's tax credits.
McCain's plan also does not address the "currently very-ill," allowing individual insurers to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
The current average of cost on middle and lower income people is currently about $12,000 per family. So, John McCain's plan leads to less incentives to get household coverage and builds road blocks for family preventative health care.
It also doesn't address the rising costs of health care, and how the tax credits will adapt to that in the future.
Our health care industry is inefficient, and everyone can agree that it is in need of change. Obama is the one to bring us that change.
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