Health Care Reform In America: Merely Chasing Rainbows?

Jacksonville -  In January of 2009, there were six deaths due to contaminated peanut butter. The US government under the waning days of the Bush administration quickly responded by issuing a recall and the company responsible went into bankruptcy. In contrast, 18,000 Americans die every year because they lack health insurance, according to a 2002 report. And what did the Bush Administration respond? Nothing.

This is why President Obama has made health care reform a priority in the first year of his administration. But many in the government and health care industries claim that President Obama is merely chasing rainbows. They point to the failure of President Clinton in 1994 to reform health care as proof.

Universal Health Care Cons

Many conservative Republicans see both President Clinton’s and President Obama’s plans for health care reform as the first step towards socialism. Republicans doomed the 1994 attempt with a series of frightening ads claiming that under a universal health care plan, you could not choose your doctors. They also failed to mention that under current HMO plans and health insurance, you still cannot choose your doctors.

Other nay-sayers point to the National Health Service in Great Britain as an example of what could happen to America. However, they do no mention that in the UK, no emergency service is denied (even to illegal immigrants) and that doctors have a choice of going private or entering the NHS. Since going private pays more, guess what the doctors most often do?

Universal Health Care Pros

Those for health care reform point out who the nay-sayers are and what they stand to gain by keeping the health care system as it is. Those who against health care reform are those who are making the most money from the current system. These include big business (which has dropped health care coverage for its workers), health insurance companies and giant pharmaceutical companies.

For example, in 2008, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline spent over $2.8 billion on political lobbyists (according to The Center for Responsive Politics). This is so they can keep charging $200 for nine pills of their migraine drug Imitrex. They are adamantly against health care reform.