Five Reasons For Health Care Reform

Shocking Health Care Facts in the US part 2:

Here are five important reasons why we urgently need health care reform in the United States at the present time.

1. Health care should be available to everyone. But presently it is not. This is because some people are excluded from insurance coverage because they have “pre-existing conditions.”  Perhaps they were covered in a group policy which they lost when they lost their job or moved to another state.  Others have lost their insurance when they lost their job, and do not have enough income to purchase a policy under COBRA, or they work for an employer who do not offer health insurance as an employee benefit.

The present system of excluding persons from insurance coverage due to their health history or lack of money to pay is a form a rationing health care.  Presently 49 million Americans do not have health insurance coverage.  Health care is a human right, and most developed nations provide coverage for their citizens.

2. Americans deserve a choice. Health insurance is controlled by the private insurance industry, who set the rates and policies in order to maximize their profits.  Offering a public option would create competition and drive down the cost of health care premiums.

Insurance companies will no longer be able to refuse coverage to anyone due to pre-existing conditions, or charge more based on gender or health status, or limit the amount of coverage you can get in a year or a lifetime.  Insurers will be required to renew policies as long as the
premiums are being paid, and they will not be allowed to charge more than 10% of income for out-of-pocket expenses per year.

3. Health care should be affordable. Health care presently is not affordable for many working people or unemployed people who do not qualify for medicaid.  Because they cannot afford to purchase health insurance, they are forced to go without preventive care, and postpone going to the doctor until they develop a serious condition.  They then are forced to seek help at the hospital emergency room, which helps to drive up the cost of health care for those with insurance.

4. Having health care reform will increase our peace of mind. Health care reform will include preventive services such as routine mammograms, mental health services, oral health & vision services for children.  It will extend the age of children covered in family policies from 22 to 26 years, giving young adults time to get established without having to buy their own coverage.

5.  We can’t afford to do nothing. Presently the high cost of health care in the United States is becoming unmanageable.  It is a leading cause of personal bankruptcy filings and home foreclosures, as well as an uncontrolled cost for employers in both the public and private sectors.

Continuing to neglect this critical problem and kick the can down the road is simply no longer an option.