Post by David HeldThe United States Health Care Industry has been a heated controversial topic within the government since Barack Obama was elected President. Currently Obama and Congress have been discussing and debating what reforms need to be made to the industry. On Wednesday, September 9th President Obama will be addressing Congress regarding passing a law to systematically change our health care system as we know it. It is being said that the proposed legislation will initially put the country in more debt. This proposed legislation also suggests that the debt will change to a profit toward the tail end of Obama’s Presidency.
Since the Health Care Industry has recently been the main, and some believe the only, focus of the Obama administration, doors are open for new health care proposals. Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, is spearheading a proposal for a new law that would put a hefty fee on Health Insurance Companies, which will in turn expand health care coverage. “Mr. Baucus’s plan, expected to cost $850 billion to $900 billion over 10 years, would tax insurance companies on their most expensive health care policies. The hope is that employers would buy cheaper, less generous coverage for employees, thereby reducing the overuse of medical services.” It is said that the tax on the health care insurance companies will help cover the cost of the plan. Some investment companies do not believe that this plan will be effective toward the average customer because the fee will not cover the entire cost of the plan and will most likely result in higher premiums for the customers.
No matter what health care proposals are made, the idea of providing insurance to the millions who are uninsured is a staggering undertaking. With private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid there are still a tremendous number of people of all ages uninsured. Has anyone addressed the impact of future doctors to our society? The cost of medical school and then the malpractice insurance itself is staggering. Will people decide not to pursue a career in medicine? What type of human intelligence and capital will we loss? Lastly, one has to wonder if what happened in the Clinton years will recur today.
Sources #1, #2, #3
My only concern with this article are the lines: "The hope is that employers would buy cheaper, less generous coverage for employees, thereby reducing the overuse of medical services. It is said that the tax on the health care insurance companies will help cover the cost of the plan."
ReplyDeleteIf employers do switch to cheaper coverage that would essentially reduce the quality of medicine and health care available to the employees. Although we plan to provide health care to a mass number of people, what we have to ask ourselves is a reduction in quality worth it?
-Shawn Chandok