OBAMACARE VS TRUMPCARE: AMERICA’S BATTLE FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE CONTINUES

Just a few months ago, the entire American nation was totally devastated when they found about the plans of President Trump’s removing Obamacare and have it replaced with Trumpcare. There are millions of people all over the United States who rely on Medicaidwhich is why they are all concerned as to what will happen with Trump administration taking over, as well as how the Senate would take matters into their hands.

Fortunately, last 13th of July, the Senate actually released some of the proposed amendments to the healthcare bill known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Some of the amendments state that this healthcare bill would allow insurers to be able to offer plans to the public including those who do not meet the requirement of Obamacare, this basically means that they don’t cover pre-existing conditions but will have ten additional essential benefits. This healthcare bill would then also provide money to the insurers that could come from a fun to help offset all of the costs of those who are at higher risks that have pre-existing conditions.

HEALTHCARE: PRIVILEGE OR RIGHT?

Because of what is happening all over the United States, people are starting to wonder whether healthcare is actually a right of the people or is it more of a privilege? According to the former CEO of Pen Bay Healthcare, Roy Hitchings, good health is indeed everyone’s right. Good health, however, is not guaranteed since it is up to everyone how they will take care of themselves. “While not guaranteeing good health, access to affordable, quality health insurance is a major factor in determining whether we are generally healthy or sick,” Hitchings started. “It gives us the opportunity to access a doctor, hospital and medications when we need them without fearing major financial harm.”

According to recent statistics, more than 39 million people in the United States alone do not have health insurance. In fact, this may be a little too surprising since the United States is the only powerful country that doesn’t provide basic health insurance for all of its people unlike Germany, France, Japan, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

This is despite them being one of the richest countries in the world. The United States of America currently offers Medicare which is for senior citizens as well as for people with disability. Medicaid is for those who are considered to be poor, and Military Health Servicefor those who are serving in the army. So technically, about 74 percent of the country does not have health insurances. According to a recent study, people from the age of 25 to 64 with an estimated number of 18,000 a year actually die due to lack of health insurance and it is considered to be a national disgrace.

“I believe that all U.S citizens and residents should have equal access to affordable, essential, quality health care and that the best way to accomplish this is for each of us to have a good and basic health insurance,” Hitchings stated.

OBAMACARE VS TRUMPCARE

In 2010, former United States President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. One of the best things about this is that people will be given health insurance for at least nine months or be subject to a tax. Starting November 1 up until December 15 is the health insurance exchange enrollment. Those who won’t be able to make it since they couldn’t afford the insurance could still go to Medicaid, although it is not exactly available for every state.

According to the report by CNBC, the enrollment for Obamacare have managed to hit 2.3 million during the first three weeks of its sign-up season as told by the officials. This just means that people are actually worried about that shorter enrollment period and the advocates of Obamacare fear that some of the negative comments regarding Trumpcare or the Affordable HealthCare Act program by the current president Donald Trump, will actually tamp down all the possible sign-ups for this season.

Regardless of which is a better health care insurance, one thing is for sure, it is very important for everyone to be able to afford healthcare no matter what status in life you have may, no matter what color your skin may be. It has always been the duty of the government to have the ability to use their power to make their nation a better place and that includes providing affordable healthcare for everyone.