America’s Belief- Healthcare Reform

America’s Belief- Healthcare Reform

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America’s Belief- Healthcare Reform

Prior to the Affordable Care Act passed by the president last year, many leaders had tried to make reforms in the healthcare sector, but they were often unsuccessful. Although the Act was passed, a significant number of people were opposed to it from the beginning. Americans agree that they want quality and affordable health care, which they can readily access. However, they do not agree on the way to go about achieving this. The challenges of reforming the healthcare sector have taken so long because there are many factors to consider. Some of the policies agreed on usually compromise on the conditions set. For instance, policies that are directed towards improving quality often mean that people have to pay more for medical services, and this compromises affordability.

America spends more on healthcare than any other developed nation in the world. This does not mean that everyone can access health care. Access and availability of healthcare is usually determined by whether or not people have health insurance, and the income they receive. Employers used to give private insurance and other health benefits but some of them have since stopped doing this because of the high cost of health care. Some of the leaders who have tried to reform healthcare have noted the importance of having compulsory health insurance cover. This is because it will ease people’s burdens paying hospital bills and it will make it easier for the government to provide services. Some Americans on the other hand dread taking insurance cover because of the high premiums and the fact that they will be denied the cover because of preexisting conditions. Some people have challenged health reforms based on expense, arguing that it would cost a lot of money.

One of the most contentious issues has been insurance. Many Americans are underinsured and some do not have any insurance cover for a given period. One of the major reasons why some Americans are opposed to the Affordable Care Act is that everyone has to have insurance. This is challenging especially for the people who do not have jobs or who earn a low income. Insurance concerns are not a recent issue for Americans. Many Americans did not have insurance after the Second World War and most of those who did usually got it from their place of work. Many patients have had bad experiences with insurance companies and some have had to sue them. This has made many Americans believe that insurance companies do not work in their best interests and they are therefore reluctant to buy any insurance. This belief has, and continues to hinder healthcare reform in the country. Unless the insurance companies prove to the people that they are ready to provide them with the services they need, many Americans will not see the need of buying health insurance.

Racial matters are a concern for many minority groups, especially African Americans. Most of the African Americans do not trust the health care system due to historical reasons. The Tuskegee experiment was conducted from 1932 to the seventies. The government used poor African American men to study the progression of syphilis. The men participated fully thinking they were being treated for bad blood. With such a history, it is clear why some African Americans would be skeptical to participate in clinical trials. African Americans have continued to suffer discrimination in many areas and they do not trust the health care system. Changes to the health care system have often been challenged on the grounds of quality. Many people argued that the health care system was complex and often led to wastage of resources. Some people argued that some of the services offered were unnecessary (Kronenfeld & Kronenfeld, 2004). Americans have challenged healthcare reforms based on their beliefs and assumptions about the cost, accessibility and quality.

Reference:

Kronenfeld, J. J., & Kronenfeld, R. M. (2004). Healthcare reform in America: A reference handbook. Goleta, CA: ABC-CLIO