Parties squabble, health care still broken
Robert Flood
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Opinion
Change has again occurred on the political landscape in America. This time it is not a Democratic figure leading the change, but the American voting public.
Gone is the aspiration of hope, which has transformed to fear and recently to anger. No matter how citizens vote for change there are still issues that remain problematic. One of the most pressing issues is the fact we have way too many of our fellow citizens uninsured and many others, like me, uninsurable due to a pre-existing condition.
Health insurance companies in Texas will not allow people like me to purchase health insurance on the open market. Texas offers a one-option "risk pool" which charges 200 percent above the going rate. I survived cancer and to the doctors I am cancer free, but not according to the health insurance underwriters who reject me each year. This is why I personally know the real need for health insurance reform.
Health insurance reform has been avoided in the past due to its costs both politically and fiscally. With both parties now working on the issue, hopefully soon there will be some answers. In my opinion, both the Democrats and Republicans need to evaluate all ideas and suggestions to present a joint plan honestly to the American people.
The Democrats need to understand that to push through the plan without Republican support is foolish; but the Republicans also need to acknowledge their current proposed plan that only insures three million more Americans is unacceptable. When we as a nation have nearly 50 million American citizens without health insurance and millions more underinsured or uninsurable, we all have a problem.
The public must also realize that our nation can no longer allow "healthy" individuals to ignore their personal responsibility and forgo health insurance. Of course we cannot impose an outrageous burden of costs on those who cannot afford insurance, but we should not allow those that can afford it to avoid it until the need arises.
Gone is the aspiration of hope, which has transformed to fear and recently to anger. No matter how citizens vote for change there are still issues that remain problematic. One of the most pressing issues is the fact we have way too many of our fellow citizens uninsured and many others, like me, uninsurable due to a pre-existing condition.
Health insurance companies in Texas will not allow people like me to purchase health insurance on the open market. Texas offers a one-option "risk pool" which charges 200 percent above the going rate. I survived cancer and to the doctors I am cancer free, but not according to the health insurance underwriters who reject me each year. This is why I personally know the real need for health insurance reform.
Health insurance reform has been avoided in the past due to its costs both politically and fiscally. With both parties now working on the issue, hopefully soon there will be some answers. In my opinion, both the Democrats and Republicans need to evaluate all ideas and suggestions to present a joint plan honestly to the American people.
The Democrats need to understand that to push through the plan without Republican support is foolish; but the Republicans also need to acknowledge their current proposed plan that only insures three million more Americans is unacceptable. When we as a nation have nearly 50 million American citizens without health insurance and millions more underinsured or uninsurable, we all have a problem.
The public must also realize that our nation can no longer allow "healthy" individuals to ignore their personal responsibility and forgo health insurance. Of course we cannot impose an outrageous burden of costs on those who cannot afford insurance, but we should not allow those that can afford it to avoid it until the need arises.
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