Essay Exam for October 14, 2009

The health care debate is a furious one raging in our country today. There are many voices, many opinions and conflicting points of view. No solution will present a perfect answer to such a large problem. Millions of Americans are without health insurance. Millions more, cannot gain access to health care due to health insurance company practices. America spends more on its health care system than any nation in the world, yet ranks thirty-seventh overall in care by the World health organization, just ahead of Serbia. There can be no debate, that overhaul is needed.
However, after a good deal of research on the issue, and considerable soul-searching, I believe that we need the current proposals by congress. To not act, would cause irreparable harm to the financial health of our nation, and continue a vicious cycle that leaves millions without access to the care they need.
There are several issues that will be discussed. The impact of the current system on our economy, the lack of effectiveness of the opposition's plans for health care, and finally, the benefits and provisions of the health proposals by Democrats in Congress.
First, there should be no debate that we desperately need reform now. Our health system is the most expensive in the world at 2.5 trillion dollars a year. The budget for health care, Medicaid, Medicare, and related programs is the single, largest expense in the federal budget. According to the Congressional budget office, Health care costs will only continue to skyrocket in time. America pays too much for what we get out of the health care system. Under current practices, Insurance companies can deny coverage at any time to anyone, under the guise of as pre-existing condition. This can leave Millions of Americans who are paying extraordinary amounts of money in health premiums, without care or coverage at any given time. A Study done by Harvard medical and published in the New york times concluded that roughly 44,000 people a year in the U.S. die from lack of coverage. There can be no question in the minds of Americans that reform is needed.
There are several proposals in Congress for health reform. Some offer a public option, essentially an insurance company run by the Federal Government to offer competition to the private insurance companies. Critics of this idea argue that such a plan would put the private sector out of business and pave the way for complete socialized medicine. There are also statements that this sort of system would lead to a "rationing of health care" and "death panels" that would determine what care you can and cannot receive. The fallacy of these arguments, is that they fail to recognize the rationing that already exists by the private insurance companies under the loophole of discrimination based upon a pre-existing condition. Aside from these matters, there have been very few counter-proposals to Democratic plans in Congress. The few plans that have been proposed, would grant tax credits to average Americans to purchase their own health insurance on the private market. The average plan for a family of four is estimated by several agencies to cost $13,000 a year. Americans can't afford that, especially in a time of economic crises.
Now, the current proposal favored by many Democrats in Congress involves the aforementioned public option. This would create a Government-run insurance company that would offer subsidized coverage for American families and businesses to purchase. Opponents of it say it would put the private sector out of business. Without it however, the private sector would not have any incentive to cut costs, and lower premiums for Americans. This government insurance company would be just like the medicare system, except Americans would pay into it at rates lower then their current premiums. The Federal Government, unlike the private sector, would be running this program at cost only, and not for profit. The end result of such a policy, is lower premiums for Americans and their families, lower costs for businesses, and more money back into the hands of average Americans, instead of insurance companies. Contrary to claims by critics, individuals would still be able to go to the doctor of their choice, the hospital of their choice, the only difference between the government plan, and the current options, are lower costs. This plan would also not be allowed to add to the federal deficit, because under a renewed act by congress, it must be paid for in full. Critics of this plan also assert that individuals will be forced immediately into the public plan. This plan does not do away with insurance companies. President Obama and leading democrats in Congress have stated that it will not be subsidized at impossible-to-compete-with rates.
In closing, there have always been opponents of progress. There have been, and always will be special interest groups that work tirelessly to defeat any kind of reform that threatens their standing at the top of the social and economic order. There will always be skeptics who say that it cannot be done. Yet we must push forward, to create a lasting future for our children and our country. Failure to act will leave Americans with a mounting of costs that will cripple us for years to come. The health insurance reform in Congress is the best option for lowering health insurance costs, creating reasonable competition to encourage the private sector to lower their premiums, and ensuring that Americans can once again enter into a new era of lasting economic growth and prosperity. This is the dream and promise of America, that it can, and always should be, "That shining city on the hill"