Effects of New Health Care Hitting Home
NEIRAD enilno edition
Presidential campaigns are often characterized by flip-flopping, empty promises, and cliché slogans like “Big change is on its way”. However with President Barack Obama’s 14th month in office comes one political promise realized: Major health care reform has been passed. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed on March 23. But this action is not praised by all and whether or not this reform will be beneficial varies depending on the person and the health care provider they have.
“The reform is going to be just another tax that we have to pay on top of all of the money we already spend,” senior Billy Griffiths said, representing the sentiments of the majority of DHS students.
A survey of 100 students conducted by Neirad found 38% were opposed to the act while only 14% were in support. The remaining 48% of students did not know enough about the current healthcare reform to give an opinion.
This reform was a hot topic during President Obama’s 2008 campaign against Hillary Clinton. The candidates proposed similar plans to provide coverage for the estimated 45 million Americans who are without health insurance. While on the surface this act may seem to be nothing but positive, the feeling among many Americans, just as it is among the DHS population, is opposition.
According to a poll conducted by CNN prior to the vote in the House on March 21, 59% of 1,030 Americans were against it while 39% supported it. The majority of those who opposed the President’s plan thought it gives the government too much power to intervene in health care.
For many, especially those living in affluent towns like Darien, the concern is that taxes will be raised to cover the expenses of providing affordable health care for those without the financial means to pay on their own.
According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the act will cost an estimated $848 billion over 10 years. It will be financed by new taxes and fees. Many are angered by the notion of essentially paying for others’ health care while also providing for their own families.
Junior Elizabeth Crafford is one of the many who expressed their discontent: “I don’t feel like we should be paying for other people’s health care.”
Despite the current protest among many American citizens, this act is seen as a major achievement in the eyes of the President, as well as for the Democratic Party. In addition to ensuring that even those who can’t afford health care will receive it, this reform also includes a “no lifetime or annual limit” policy to begin in 2014.
This means that there can be no maximum cap on health care plans. This act is also designed to lower the cost of coverage and to require hospitals and clinics to publish standard charges and rates: two factors that have helped the bill drum up at support. Tax credits will be implemented for small businesses all over the nation, including up to 44,000 businesses in Connecticut. In addition, family health insurance premiums will be reduced by an estimated $2,000, according to a special report issued by the Democratic Policy Committee on April 5.
Junior Mike McGuinness sees benefits to universal healthcare. “This was an issue that should have been dealt with a long time ago. You can blame Obama all you want, but this needed to happen,” McGuinness said.
The expenses of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will not only finance health care for the uninsured, but also the increase of medical facilities and staff. The goal is to improve the conditions under which Americans receive medial aid and coverage.
Though this reform was designed to enhance health care in general, many are skeptical. “I’m for and against it,” sophomore Emily Elliott said. “I like that the government is trying to provide health care for everyone, but it could affect the overall quality.”
However even if this act supplies low quality care, which is not the intention of reformers, it may still mean a step up for the millions of Americans who are currently without insurance. This includes more than 800,000 children in Connecticut, who were denied coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions. Under the new act, insurance companies can’t refuse to cover a child in for that circumstance.
Similarly, this plan is also meant to prevent insurance companies from discriminating against racial and ethnic minorities by denying coverage based on previous medical history, including genetic information. To many, this seems like a practice that should have already been illegal.
A policy within the act that will perhaps most significantly effect our generation is one that permits young adults to remain on their parent’s health care plans until the age of 26. That seems like a great option as tens of thousands of college graduates founder in the job search process.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may also help to address another issue plaguing American society. One of the effects the act is expected to have is reducing unemployment rates, although by very small margins. By lowering the cost of providing insurance, it allows businesses to finance and hire more employees.
Definite conclusions regarding the success of this reform are hard to draw, as many aspects aren’t set to be put into action until the next few years. Benefits seem to be outweighed by burdens and buried by numbers. However one thing is for certain; the effects of the changes will ultimately be felt by families, businesses, and health care providers everywhere, including here at home in Darien.
