There is no question that there exists an immediate need for health care reform in this country. There are too many people in this country who cannot afford any type of healthcare. Furthermore, many young people do not feel they need it; that is until they get hurt and then have to rely on the emergency room to take care of them. There are several ways to control the affordability of healthcare.
By J.T. White
Acting Chairman, College Republicans
There is no question that there exists an immediate need for health care reform in this country. There are too many people in this country who cannot afford any type of healthcare. Furthermore, many young people do not feel they need it; that is until they get hurt and then have to rely on the emergency room to take care of them. There are several ways to control the affordability of healthcare.
Another way to control costs is through tort reform. Tort reform encompasses porposed changes in the civil justice system that would reduce tort litigation or damages. This means that injured parties would be limited on the amount of compensation that they could claim in a lawsuit. Nowadays, everyone is lawsuit happy with outrageous claims, those who want to sue for millions over a cup of spilled coffee. The main reason why tort reform has not yet been put into the bill is because lobbyists for the lawyers comprise a very large group and donate a lot of money. So naturally, no one wants to cut out a source of income.
But because no tort reform exists in the new proposed bill, it will deter younger generations from seeking a career in the medical field, and the older generation will leave the profession early. No doctors want to live in fear of having outrageous lawsuits thrown at them. Omitting tort reform also drives up the price for those who share the same healthcare because providers then have to raise the price to cover costs like malpractice insurance compensated for the doctors.
The current healthcare bill features no bipartisanship. The Republican Party has been completely shut out, having their suggestions ignored. This is not what the American people want. Their healthcare bill has been rushed and pushed through by a Democratic supermajority in the Senate and a strong majority in the House of Representatives.
This healthcare bill should be a collaborative effort of both Republicans and Democrats. The president promised bipartisanship and transparency throughout his election campaign, none of which we have seen yet on the healthcare front.
What should be considered is that if the American people have no one type of healthcare insurance, so should the politicians. We are all equal. They are American citizens like us and therefore should have to pay the same amount as we do. Just because they are politicians does not mean they should get special privileges and deals. Deals for certain states and senators, like Senator Ben Nelson from Nebraska, whose vote was bought with an exemption for his state, should not be permitted. Why does a bill such as this have to be longer than 2,000 pages? Sure, there have been plenty of other lengthy bills, but for one to be of this magnitude is rediculous; not to mention all the special favors included within it.
What should be done with this bill, or any bill, is that it should be put on public view, on the Internet, five days prior to any voting, as was promised by the president during the campaign. This would give the American people the transparency the president had promised. This would also give them the opportunity to decide whether they favor it or oppose it.
This healthcare bill would fundamentally change and worsen the best healthcare system in the world today. A majority of Americans are happy with the healthcare plans they have today and do not want them to change. The foundation of healthcare- the relationship between patients and their doctors- has been proven over time and time again to be the best method. Americans do not want big government buresucrats telling them what they think is best for their healthcare treatment, or anything else for that matter.