Health care plan at a glance

This archived article was written by: Kelli Burke-Gabossi

America has one of the most advanced medical care in the world, no competition. With advances in technology, almost any illness can be cured. The problem? Medical assistance is not available for everyone. It’s one of the most important things in America. Everybody needs it; everybody wants it; but many cannot afford it. For those who have medical insurance, no worries. But what about those who are unable to meet the expenses of the insurance? Should they just go without and hope they won’t need it? If Congress will create and pass President Barack Obama’s Health Care Plan, affording insurance should not be a dilemma.
What exactly will be part of President Obama’s Health Care Plan? First, everybody will be able to afford insurance because insurance companies will not be able to overprice their premiums. If the Health Care Plan is implemented, citizens will be able to receive insurance from the regular insurance companies or a plan offered by the government. By forcing insurance companies to compete with the government, the insurance companies will have the option to keep their prices low or lose customers, end resulting in reduced prices for their policies.
Beginning in 2013, if the Health Care Plan is created and passed, insurance companies will not be allowed to drop a customer just because they become ill. Insurance companies have been able to do this before because they do not want to pay more money than they are receiving. According to www.whitehouse.gov, “A recent Congressional investigation found that over five years, three large insurance companies cancelled coverage for 20,000 people, saving them from paying $300 million in medical claims – $300 million that became either an obligation for the patient’s family or bad debt for doctors and hospitals.”
It will be against the law for insurance companies to deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions. This will be convenient for anyone with potentially serious health conditions. There will be a restriction on out-of-pocket expenses so a person will only have to spend a limited amount in medical assistance. Insurance companies will not be able to set premiums based on gender or age. There will be no lifetime limit which means that insurance companies will not be allowed to set a maximum price value to spend on each customer. Medical insurance coverage will be a lifetime of coverage.
The Health Care Plan will eliminate extra charges for precautionary care, like flu shots. Without these charges, more citizens will take advantage of the preventive solutions. This will result in less money spent in after-diagnosis care.
With the new Health Care Plan, everyone will be required to have medical insurance. This, however, will not be a problem at all because the cost of insurance will be affordable. The amount of money put into emergency room visits will be reduced with medical insurance. Fraudulent acts will occur much less frequently because citizens without insurance will have coverage. There will be a low-cost public insurance plan for those who cannot afford the regular insurance policies.
The plan will not insure illegal residents. Taxes will not be raised to help cover the low-cost public insurance plan. Health care will not be free; it will be affordable. The government will not pay for health assistance; they will set a ceiling to insurance prices. The plan can only improve the nation.
Like President Obama states, “It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government.” For more detailed information on the Health Care Plan, visit www.whitehouse.gov.