What, If Any, Should Government's Role Be Regarding Health Care In The United States?
What, If Any, Should Government's Role Be Regarding Health Care In The United
States?
1st Leslie
Miller 
2nd Heidi Negley 
3rd Jason Lehman
No one denies that American is in the midst of a health care crisis. Too little coverage for too few recipients renders our system ineffective. As we search for answers, we automatically focus our attention on Canada's health care program. Will the Canadian process work for us? No, the American health care system should avoid the Canadian model and instead adopt "managed care." The Canadian system is not as near to perfection as we perceive it to be. Waiting lists, many months' long, are commonplace. For elective procedures, hospitals are given a governmental allotment. When it is depleted, the hospital--and the patient--wait ten months for the next allotment. The government decrees that certain procedures are not required more often than the (government) specified intervals. The Canadian system reduces choice, has extreme technological and equipment shortages, and often fails to provide adequate care at the most critical of times. However, the underlying question remains--would the U.S. accept this system? Unfortunately, yes! 95 percent of them won't understand it's long-term effects on their lives, liberties, access to first-class medical care, or even their pocketbooks. All they would know is that they had to pay nothing out of pocket at the time and place of actual medical service, at least initially.
What can Americans do? We are faced with the almost impossible task of creating a system "from scratch" that will work in our incredibly unique and diverse nation. The answer to this question, then, lies with managed care. The most enthusiastic support for this system--in this election year--is Presidential candidate Paul Tsongas. His plan is to "...adopt 'managed competition' under which health care providers bid for the job of providing care, while state governments secure coverage for the unemployd and for part-time workers." This program is designed to provide for relatively all, from users to buyers to sellers. It retains American free enterprise, while at the same time uses some principles of socialized medicine. Why will it work in America? There are several excellent reasons.
First, managed care encompasses virtually everyone--the unemployd poor, part-time workers, workers at small businesses, workers at large corporations, the elderly, the self-employed, unemployed non-poor, and others without health coverage. It is the most comprehensive of all the proposed plans in this respect.
Next, it strikes a balance between government regulation and free enterprise. Drawing from the best qualities of each, the plan comes across as innovative, and, more importantly, workable. As a result, small businesses have the same access to reasonably priced health care as big corporations. Everyone benefits.
What about the cost factor? It is estimated that this program will cost $8 billion. The cost will be met through a 6-8% payroll tax on business to cover the uninsured. Now that we know who it will cover, how much it will cost, and why it will work, it is obvious that this plan should be implemented. This leads to the final question: How does the plan work?
Sellers would provide several options. Government mandates would control cost, quality, and minimum benefits. Buyers would "negotiate insurance contracts with health care providers, mostly run by major insurance companies. Users, paying part of the cost (with the exception of the needy, who would receive a tax credit), would receive coverage through large insurance buyers.
Only on problem remains. When will America implement this program? Maybe never! There will always be those who are unhappy with it. However, this program provides the greatest amount of coverage to the greatest number of people at the greatest value. It is time America woke up to this burgeoning crisis, and implemented this program. Otherwise, our ivory tower will come crashing down over our heads.