Health Care for All?

February 25, 2010  
Filed under Feature

Everybody is talking about it; Obama’s new idea of health care for everybody has created quite the controversy for all. The question still exists: does everyone deserve health care, rich or poor? At first glance it seems like the right thing to do, provide health care to everyone whether or not they are able to afford it. It just seems selfless. But in a physician’s point of view, is it really helping?

During a recent meeting with the President, Minnesota Senator Al Franken voiced how he felt about it.

“The president put this debate into a really important perspective today and reminded us to keep our eye on the end goal: We’re on the verge of being able to cover millions of Americans and stop the explosion of health care costs for families,” Franken said.

Along with Sen. Franken many others agreed with President Obama’s reform. They think the objective is to help the American people but many other Senator’s oppose the reform, causing much chaos at the White House.

Back in September of this year President Obama gave a speech over why Congress should push the reform. During his speech he mentioned why everyone should have a fair chance at health coverage.

“… The problem that plagues the health care system is not just a problem for the uninsured. 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 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 care. It happens every day,” Obama said.

Sure, everyone should have a fair chance of medical insurance. During the hard economic times we are facing, unemployment rates have skyrocketed, putting people out of health care coverage and money for their own insurance.

Every controversy has a different side. Yes, people should be able to have coverage for their medical crises. No, people should not have to wait a year for a simple procedure to take place.

Recently the discussion of health care reforms has hit the classrooms, especially those courses relating to health and medicine. When looking at it from a different view than whether or not we’re helping those who are, let’s say less fortunate, it really makes you think. If creating a bill that gives more people health care but taking away from those who have worked hard to earn it, is it really worth the while?

“I can see things from both sides, there are good and bad points to the health care reform. Some people deserve it where others are going to abuse the medical system for their own good.,” Katie Hull, junior, said.

During the Health Careers class at Neosho County Community College, surgeon Dr. McCalla recently voiced his opinion. At the beginning of the hour the mindset was that everyone deserved a chance to seek medical help, isn’t that why we hire doctors? But as the discussion started winding down, a new vibe hit all of us. Let’s say that a man comes in with a hernia, normally that could be fixed in the next week or two, but with the reform he may have to wait a year to have it fixed. Sure, he is getting it fixed, but waiting a week or so is not going to impose much damage to the man’s body. Now waiting a year or more could make things much worse, inflicting complications that can lead to another surgery where a more complicated procedure may be needed. Therefore the same thing could happen and this poor man will die from so many complications, all because of the health care reform.

Around Ottawa High School students shed light on the problem. They too have their own opinion on health care coverage.

“I think that everyone deserves health care. Nobody is better than the next.” Kylene Howard, senior, said.

Another topic of discussion is if someone works hard at his or her job to earn his or her health care, should somebody else get the same thing without all the hard work? Most people are not going to agree with that.

“I do not think it should pass. It is not fair to the people who do need the help to have to wait longer when others get it and do not really need it,” Angela Geist, junior, said.

Next, though many doctors are willing to help those in need of help, they may not be able to receive as large of salary as what they are used to. That means either there will be a huge increase of demand in doctors, nurses and other medical specialties, or a decrease in the job since the value of the job will have gone down.  One way or another the need for medical employees will have caused a huge impact on just about everyone. Colleges are not going to have as many applicants for medical school, or they are going to have an uncanny number of students racing to become physicians, surgeons, pediatricians, what ever they have the desire to do.

“I know that for many doctors, the health care reform is going to make an impact on their job, for others it will not. I want to go into medicine for a future career and it is something I want to do no matter what the President passes,” Kayla Hambleton, senior, said.

Health care affects everyone at least once in his or her life. They face an illness of a family member, or even death of a loved one. It is important to see each and every part of the reform from many different points of view. The aspects of one side make good points, yet the other side’s point is just as good.

—–
Emily Leadbetter

Tags:

 Email This Post        Print This Post