~ Vasquez 1 Cynthia Vasquez Matthew Moberly we x0 i . oy? * a Writing 10 Se a a5” ae 1 May 2015 ba os Abstract = grees BRIN: Currently in America, healthcare is run under a mixture of private and government- provided systems. Most people in America receive healthcare insurance througn private 2 companies either through their employer or by paying for their own. For those whom cannot By , afford to pay for their own insurance, free government insurance is available, Despite the Ss tens Dees < availability of this free insuranc lions of people in America still go uninsured because they 3 A. don’t qualify for free insurance. This problem only worsens as insurance premiums increase: S healthcare is becoming increasingly unaffordable to the average American, AS healthcare costs) SS aon <0” increase, to save money people neglect their health by avoiding the doctor except in extreme i circumstances. To counter the issues the current healthcare system creates, a completely YY access to medical care, regardless of cost; people would no longer have to neglect their health f. nationalized healthcare system should be implemented. Under this system, everyone would have e e nN and the government would end up saving money, ne convertion of the Background/Problem “ {ssw ” ‘Health care is very important in the society we live in today where people get injured, sick, and disabled every single day. As medicine advances, the costs for treating ailments increases, often becoming unaffordable without a way of financing their health care costs; this is 2 ypoodeb xe0LkS uneceos o oak ew ue 21.Vasquez 2 ‘where health insurance comes in. Health insurance helps finance expenses when people get sick Currently, the majority of people obtain their health insurance coverage through an employer; others have government-provided insurance while other individuals have no health insurance at all. Under the current healthcare system, people who attain insurance privately go through a whole bundle of payments before they are covered. Accortingt the Asana Degman fF ec Re oes (which is the initial amount that must be paid before the insurance begins paying for services), then the client pays a premium which is an annual or monthly payment for coverage in addition to any copays which are specified dollar amounts the client pays for as specific services are received. Clearly, the insurance currently offered in the United States is expensive, complicated, and has simply too many faults. Because health insurance affects every single person in America, shouldn’t health care insurance be more effective and affordable? It ought to be more affordable which is why the system requires change. Historically, this issue has been a constant issue for those in Congress who create figalticare'S)stem and suggested change. In a 1993 speech Bill Clinton asserted that, ‘Despite the dedication of literally millions of talented health care’ professionals, our health care is too lation. For many years representatives have pointed to the faults in the current uncertain and too expensive, too bureaucratic and too wasteful. It has too much fraud and too ‘much rsp (aa al SO HATS le nae 7) United States House Budget Committee Chairman and House Representative Paul Ryan asserts that governm programs are currently “diving the explosive growth in our spending and our debt.” Paul - points that under the current health care’system, not only is healthcare unaffordable for citizens but for the government as well. Even the President of the United States, Barack Obama stated in a speech =“ eensVasquez 3 during a joint session of Congress that, "Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you'll lose your health insurance too, More and more Americans ric pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won't pay the full cost of car ane points to the issue at hand: America’s healthcare system is unstable, unaffordable, and requires change. With annual premiums for health insurance increasing yearly, maintaining a health insurance plan is an expensive, unaffordable necessity. In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that annual premiums reached $16,800 for the average fam Creates a conflict because everyone should have access to healthcare when they need it but not everyone can afford it. To relieve this issue, the United States government provides free insurance to those who cannot afford private insurance or are not covered under their employer’s insurance. Despite the government providing free insurance to those who aren’t covered by an employer’s insurance, according to U.S Census Bureau data, “In 2013, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage forthe entire calendar year was 13.4 percent, or 42.0 million” (Medallal. GOS. ‘Smith. A problem affecting 42.0 million people in America is no small problem-it needs a i solution andfast, «= -Kexelaryy tne “Ga-Wetweens” Given that a solution is not found nor implemented, as health insurance costs increase, the number of people without insurance will steadily increase. Due to lack of insurance, people will not be able to pay for medical services and, as a result, will avoid seeking medical treatment. "As peopl continue on without seeking the mesial care they need, tit overall heath wil ‘en Over time, this will lead to the overall decline of our country’s health as life )Vasquez 3 during a joint session of Congress that, "Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you'll lose your health insurance too, More and more Americans ric pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won't pay the full cost of car ee points to the issue at hand: America’s healthcare system is unstable, unaffordable, and requires change. With annual premiums for health insurance increasing yearly, maintaining a health insurance plan is an expensive, unaffordable necessity. In 2013, the U.S, Census Bureau estimated that annual premiums reached $16,800 for the average fam Creates a conflict because everyone should have access to healthcare when they need it but not everyone can afford it. To relieve this issue, the United States government provides free insurance to those who cannot afford private insurance or are not covered under their employer’s insurance. Despite the government providing {ree insurance to those who aren’t covered by an employer's insurance, according to U.S Census Bureau data, “In 2013, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage forthe entire calendar year was 13.4 percent, or 42.0 million” (edallal. GOS. ‘Smith). A problem affecting 42.0 million people in America is no small problem-it needs a ak solution andfast. = Kexelaryy tne “Ga-Wekweens” Given that a solution is not found nor implemented, as health insurance costs increase, the number of people without insurance will steadily increase. Due to lack of insurance, people will not be able to pay for medical services and, as a result, will avoid seeking medical treatment. "As people continue on without seeking the medial care they need, tit overall heath wil” = Over time, this will lead to the overall decline of our country’s health as life i)& eo eh me Vasquez 4 expectancy decreases, previously eliminated illnesses reemerge, and the overall health of citizens will deciine. Solution Since private insurance fails to meet the primary purpose of healtheare oan make maintaining one’s health more affordable and thus more available in order to promote better health) a solution to America’s healthcare problem would be to have a completely nationalized healthcare system. The current healthcare system, a mixture of some private and some government insurance, would be replaced with one where all private insurance companies get abolished and the government becomes responsible for providing healthcare insurance to every American. A nationalized healthcare system would be most beneficial because it would be more affordable for the United States and for citizens themselves. On average, each person pays MoE $2,822 per year at $235.27 monthly for private insurance and the government spends $8,233 on health per person (Kane, Jason), With insurance costs rising each year, a nationalized healthcare ‘system would be able to control for increased medical costs which would decrease total spending, for the whole country. An example of this in action is in Canada where, “Canadian hospitals receive prospectively determined global operating budgets, removing incentives to provide unnecessary care while simplifying billing and administration,” (Glen, Brandon). This portrays” cone way in which the American government would save money. Because Ametican hospitals would be run by the government, the government would be able to create set limits on ast okt for hospitals, decreasing medical costs. ae ws DATO. ae a wo else aes tse ClALINS~ va Despite these benefits, others may argue that having a national system is not practical because the system cannot sustain itself. Instead, opponents of anational system, proposea aVasquez 7 mixed system involving a combination of private and government-aided insurance. Proponents of a mixed system argue that because a national system would be too costly for tne government, a system that allows people to pay for at least some of their own insurance would be most. beneficial to save the government costs, These proponents argue that requiring the national government to run and operate all healthcare operations would expand the government and lead to massive administration costs. However, under the current very inefficient system only 1% of the government budget is set for administration costs ("Budgeted net outlays...”) Given that currently most of the current government expenses goes toward medical services and not administration, under a national system where administration is downsized, costs would decrease, not increase Conclusion > A national healthcare system is key to solving America’s expensive, ineffective, and unpopular healthcare system. A nationalized healthcare system will provide healthcare to the millions of uninsured and make receiving necessary medical care affordable and accessible. This system could open more jobs in the medical field as more people seek the medical care that they need. Other countries have shown that national healthcare systems can be successfully implemented and can actually be a more cost-effective than combinations of private and government healthcare. Given that America makes the switch to national healthcare, millions would benefit from accessible medical care, However, if the current system continues on, more and more people will go uninsured every year and the health of the citizens of America will decline as Americans continue to neglect their health because of medical costs.Vasquez $ Works Cited "Budgeted net outlays, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), fiscal year 2011." The Health Care System. Barbara Wexler. 2011 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2011 Information Plus Reference Series. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Apr. 2015 "Canadians healthier, outliving Americans: study," The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC] 28 Apr. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Apr. 2015 Clinton, Bill. “Address on Health Care Reform” United States Congress. U.S. Capitol Washington, D.C 22 Sept. 1993, “Explanation Of Health Insurance Terms And Coverages.” The Alabama Department of Insurance: 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. 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