Health Care: The Time is Now
Posted by Kevin Crouch on June 17, 2009
Of all the issues I’ve addressed since Barack Obama took office, health care has not been one of them. I feel that, since President Obama has addressed the American Medical Association with his plan and the organization has expressed their fear and disapproval of the plan, now is the time to finally address this growing problem.
Even the AMA knows our health care program needs to be reformed and updated to fit the changing times. More available medical records, more affordable costs, and better quality in doctors and health care plans. These are the points of focus that should be tackled by a responsible government, but President Obama and the Democrat majority have something else in mind. The terms “Universal” and “Socialized” have been used to describe their plan, and both accurately cover portions of their plan, a plan that continues to evolve as the President continues to see the growing public disapproval of his idea of reform.
As a candidate for the presidency in 2008, then Senator Obama gave his first health care reform promise, telling the crowd in Iowa City on May 29 that “The very first promise I made on this campaign was that as President, I will sign a universal health care plan into law by the end of my first term in office.” This is a plan that will give government provided health care to all Americans, a single uniform health package that will replace your current one. Once Obama became President, however, he saw the public distrust with his plan, and the strong trust between Americans and their chosen doctors and health care providers. When addressing the AMA a few days ago, he changed the plan up, saying you could choose your doctor and your health care plan. How does this fit together with the original goal of a government-provided health care plan for ALL Americans?
Another hot topic has been that of health care for the elderly, and how that factors in to the President’s “Universal” plan. Under this plan, of course, is a government-provided health care package. Elderly and retired Americans falls under the label of “All Americans”, or one would think. While addressing the AMA, President Obama was booed as he slipped in his idea for elderly and retired health care, stating that those who can better afford retiree health care plans would be paying the balance for those who can’t. This certainly does not make much sense for a government-provided “universal” plan, and definitely does not make sense for those trying to afford their own plans, putting those who can afford it lower towards the red, with those who cannot afford it. Maybe that’s his way of making all Americans need the government plan.
The issue of government-provided health care has loomed in American politics since it was introduced by President Theodore Roosevelt. It failed then, and later failed under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Now, President Obama, holder of history and maker of change, feels he has the influence, the votes, and the power to finally pass this plan. There is one powerful reason Americans have sided against these continuous proposals, and it’s their strong trust in their doctor and their health care provider. A government plan will trounce this trust, and take away the ability of the American individual to control their own health care insurance, and the ability to continue meeting with the doctor that knows them best, and is best for their individual situation. If all Americans were the same in medical terms, we would not have medical specialists, pediatric specialists, or even different family doctors. Americans like to control the decisions that are made regarding their health, and that tradition must continue to be protected.
Write, call, or email your congressman and Senators today, and let Obama’s Democrat majority know that we want to continue to decide what happens to our health, and what doctors we allow to handle such a delicate part of our lives. All Americans should have the opportunity to have good health, but they should be able to choose who they run to in time of need, something each one of those Congressmen enjoy. The time is now to speak up, so our right to handle our medical decisions will not be swept up and snatched away.
