Health Insurance: Balancing Pros and Cons With rising costs of health care and uncertainties regarding the future of US health care policy, some people find themselves either confused or at a standstill when it comes to their health insurance coverage. It is no secret that health insurance can help people save money on medical expenses, usually by way of monthly premiums that are below the cost of the medical expenses themselves. Insurance is also a great opportunity to allow families and spouses the peace of mind to know their loved ones’ medical expenses can often be covered under a single policy. Conversely, health insurance can also be difficult to navigate and comprehend if someone is not familiar with the health care system. With a …show more content…
Pros being things such as a fairly low monthly premium that is less than the cost of treatment, coverage for a wide array of illnesses, exams, or imaging, etc. I believe health insurance could most accurately be compared to a safety net; it’s there if you need it and allows you the peace of mind to know certain things will be covered in a time of need. At the same time however, to every positive aspect of health insurance one could argue that a negative aspect exists. While the monthly premium for coverage may be acceptable for one individual, the same amount could be hard to come by for another. Similarly, while one policy may cover the charges for particular illnesses and exams necessary to person A, person B could be covered under the same policy only to become ill to conditions not insured by that plan. Because situations like this are not uncommon, they are certainly a topic to consider when choosing an insurance …show more content…
Some key considerations are not only the financial implications of a given plan, such as monthly premium rate or any deductibles that may be associated with the account, but terms of the agreement that pertain to coverage of certain illnesses and treatment need to be considered as well. In a time that everyone must have some sort of health insurance, it is imperative that we become wise consumers and do everything in our ability to determine which plan is a best fit for us based on our individual needs. Some people may not be able to afford high dollar private insurance plans, and while that is understandable it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be unhappy with the coverage they do have. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 and similar programs were put in place to help Americans, not to hinder them. I believe that despite the good and the bad aspects of health insurance, we all would like our own little portion of the health care safety net and also believe we all deserve the right to quality
One of the most controversial topics in the United States in recent years has been the route which should be undertaken in overhauling the healthcare system for the millions of Americans who are currently uninsured. It is important to note that the goal of the Affordable Care Act is to make healthcare affordable; it provides low-cost, government-subsidized insurance options through the State Health Insurance Marketplace (Amadeo 1). Our current president, Barack Obama, made it one of his goals to bring healthcare to all Americans through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This plan, which has been termed “Obamacare”, has come under scrutiny from many Americans, but has also received a large amount of support in turn for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include a decrease in insurance discrimination on the basis of health or gender and affordable healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured. The opposition to this act has cited increased costs and debt accumulation, a reduction in employer healthcare coverage options, as well as a penalization of those already using private healthcare insurance.
Due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law on March 23rd, 2010; health care in the US is presently in a state of much needed transition. As of 2008, 46 Million residents (15% of the population) were uninsured and 60% of residents had coverage from private insurers. 55% of those covered by private insurers received it through their employer and 5% paid for it directly. Federal programs covered 24% of Americans; 13% under Medicare and10% under Medicaid. (Squires, 2010)
The topic that I am choosing to do is on Obama Care. I chose this topic because the idea of the government forcing people to obtain insurance is wrong in my eyes. I am interested in analyzing the validity for what has been said about this topic in order to increase my understanding about Obama Care. I am not an expert when it comes to Obama Care. I know that this is an insurance that is being provided through the government for the general public. I have read that President Obama never initially read the whole bill itself. I also know that people who cannot afford it, but make too much money to qualify for Medicaid are being heavily encouraged to get this insurance. Some of the common knowledge that I have found that the general public has about this subject is that some people are for Obama Care and think that it is a wonderful idea and that there are some people that are dead set against Obama Care. Younger adults, specifically college age and individuals that are in their twenties tend to be for Obama Care. The insurance is being forced upon individuals that may or may not want it. It also seems as though that the insurance being offered is pretty generic in terms of coverage. Some of the questions that I have that I believe will aide me in writing this paper would be the following: What are the pros and cons of Obama Care? What are the thoughts of Obama Care with the people of the government? As well as what are the basics of Obama Care?
...s quite a smart idea for us to having something as a backup plan because who knows what could potentially happen if we don’t have it where can lead to a serious turmoil. But let’s be real clear on this every American needs Health Insurance Despite the circumstances of what it can have on everyone we should have it reguardless.If the Companies are willing to provide a less expensive one then what’s the reason to overcharge us for it.in all honestly The Healthcare companies want individuals to choose what they feel is best for them and what it can offer for support in giving them the right benefits to obtain for their life. Why should American settle for less when they can settle better to have the best.as individuals we need to understand that its healthcare Companies is not based on the name it’s all about what you’re able to afford and how much can it cover in orde
The United States spends vast amounts on its healthcare, while falling short of achieving superiority over other developed nations. One cannot overlook that the deepening recession has left many without jobs and therefore lacking health insurance. According to Fairhall and Steadman, (2009), even though the recession is hard on all, it is worse on the uninsured due to health care and insurance cost rising faster than incomes. Nevertheless, even those with jobs are lacking in health insurance due to employers, who provide insurance, are increasingly dropping their sponsored insurance. Many find that purchasing a health policy or paying for medical care out-of-pocket is cost prohibitive. “Since the recession began in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 3.6 million,” (Fairhall & Steadman, 2009). In 2009 it was stated that approximately 46 million Americans were uninsured, however not all of that number is due to the inability to afford coverage. According to a 2009 story written by Christopher Weaver of Kaiser Health News, 43% of that number should be classified as “voluntarily” uninsured. This subset of uninsured Americans consist of nearly half being young and healthy; therefo...
On March 23, 2010, President Barrack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into legislation. The bill was created to provide affordable and effective health care to all Americans. It has since provided tens of millions of uninsured Americans with affordable healthcare (“ObamaCare: Pros and Cons of ObamaCare”). While doing so, an estimated 31 million still remain uncovered as of 2016 (“Not ‘Everybody’ Is Covered Under ACA”). To this day, the health care plan has remained widely criticized and controversial. Many believe the Affordable Care Act has not done its duty and is unconstitutional to force healthcare upon Americans. Some of the people who share these views believe it isn’t the government’s job to provide welfare. They believe healthcare
Luckily under the new health care reform law, most people will receive help paying for their healthcare premiums and cost-sharing expenses that people with insurance have to pay out of pocket for doctor visits, and prescription medicine. Families and individuals will be able to receive this assistance with incomes between one hundred and four hundred percent of the federal poverty line. One hundred to four hundred percent makes up at about $23,000 to $94,000 a year assume this is for a family of four.
Health Insurance being mandatory let us solve lot of problems that we are facing nowadays like free riders, more number of uninsured in the country, etc.
Health care is one of the most debated issues in the United States today and it 's necessary to understand the basics of this problem. Approximately 50 million people living in the United
There are several issues concerning the uninsured and underinsured patient population in America. There are many areas of concern the congressional efforts to increase the availability of health insurance, the public image of the insurance industry illustrated by the movie "John Q", the lack of good management tools, and creating health insurance coverage for all low income Americans. Since the number of uninsured Americans has risen to 43 million from 37 million in the flourishing 1990s and could shoot up even more severely if the economy continues to decrease and health care premiums keep increasing (Insurance No Simple Fix, 2001).
However, the reason a lot of these insurance companies are not popular among the general public is because they are new to the insurance game and are often unable to handle processing claims that have become second nature to the giants of the insurance industry. Opponents could also claim the ACA’s out of pocket maximum helps people not get drowned in debt. Sure, maybe the individuals themselves aren’t directly in debt and being spammed with outrageous hospital bills. However, the part of their bills that count toward their out of pocket maximum are sometimes unclear. “Even though things are a lot simpler now, depending on your plan not all services are going to be covered 100% and not all services are always going to count toward your out-of-pocket maximum. Double check that your health plan isn’t cutting any of the corners” (Out-of-Pocket) Opponents may also say that the ACA lowers premiums, but that 2008 statement has become increasingly known as a lie. Obama spent 2008 telling the American people throughout his campaign insurance would be reduced “up to”, “on average”, and “typically” $2,500 “per family, per year”. That turned out to be false and “by some estimates, the average rates in the individual market have increased nearly 25 percent compared to what they would have been without Obamacare, and have increased measurably in 45
Health insurance, too many American citizens, is not an option. However, some citizens find it unnecessary. Working in the health care field, I witness the effects of uninsured patients on medical offices. Too often, I see a “self-pay” patient receive care from their doctor and then fail to pay for it. Altogether, their refusal to pay leaves the office at a loss of money and calls for patients to pay extra in covering for the cost of the care the uninsured patient received. One office visit does not seem like too big of an expense, but multiple patients failing to pay for the care they receive adds up. Imagine the hospital bills that patients fail to pay; health services in a hospital are double, sometimes triple, in price at a hospital. It is unfair that paying patients are responsible for covering these unpaid services. Luckily, the Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010, otherwise known as Obamacare. Obamacare is necessary in America because it calls for all citizens to be health insured, no worrying about pre-existing conditions, and free benefits for men and women’s health.
Health insurance facilitates entry into the health care system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care and more likely to have poor health. Many Americans are foregoing medical care because they cannot afford it, or are struggling to pay their medical bills. “Adults in the US are more likely to go without health care due to cost” (Schoen, Osborn, Squires, Doty, & Pierson, 2010) Many of the currently uninsured or underinsured are forced accept inferior plans with large out-of-pocket costs, or are not be able to afford coverage offered by private health insurers. This lack of adequate coverage makes it difficult for people to get the health care they need and can have a particularly serious impact on a person's health and stability.
...ue to numerous medical errors. With the amount of medical errors that currently do occur which is a current health care issue it cost the health care billions of dollar each year to fix the mistakes that were made.
Health care has always been an interesting topic all over the world. Voltaire once said, “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” It may seem like health care that nothing gets accomplished in different health care systems, but ultimately many trying to cures diseases and improve health care systems.