by Kameo Monson

Created on: October 04, 2007

As health care costs increase and more people go without health insurance the American public has been forced to reflect on solutions to correct the system. Those who would have a government health care system provide for everyone are looking to help those in need, help for the 40 million uninsured Americans and those with high medical bills. Is this the best option for the United States health care crisis?

In order to have government provided health care for everyone expensive premiums would disappear and taxes would increase. The government would dictate what procedures were appropriate and what drugs could be taken. They could easily mandate preventative care which, surprisingly, has not been pr oven to increase the health of the masses. The doctors and insurance company(s) get paid through the taxes we pay.

At the moment, Medicaid does not fully cover the cost of many of the procedures it is responsible to cover. The cost is left for the medical facility which, in turn passes it onto other insurance companies and patients. This causes the cost to the uninsured and the privately insured to be higher. Do we want the government running everyone's health care? If the government runs the program who will pay for the procedures? Do you believe health care could be free? Are you the high-risk patient who needs lengthy procedures, or are you the absent patient who's taxes could be paying for someone else's procedures?

If congress were to expand government health care programs to help the uninsured we could expect: higher taxes, long waits (look at other government-run health care systems), a standard of care less than what American's deserve.

Perhaps instead of following other countries examples of health care, we should reform in other ways. Massachusetts now requires insurance for all. It is a tiered program based on income. Private insurance companies still provide the coverage. Those who cannot afford it still get help, the uninsured and Medicaid pass less costs onto the insured helping the premium costs to come down and companies compete for business in the American way. Often called the Auto Insurance Model, it provides away for Americans to be responsible for their own health care instead of relying on help from others, while keeping costs down and free-enterprise open.

The United States does need health care reform. There is no question of that. However, we need to ask ourselves whether we truly want the government to run our health care, or if there is a better way to provide affordable health care to everyone without the government running the system?

Resources:
www.balancedpolitics.org

Learn more about this author, Kameo Monson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.