Fixing the Health Insurance Crisis in America

From LoveToKnow Insurance

Fixing the health insurance crisis in America will involve the government, insurance companies, healthcare providers and the public working together to come up with a solution.

Health insurance is an important issue for Americans.

Fixing the Health Insurance Crisis in America: Lack of Universal Access

In the United States, low-income residents are able to get health insurance coverage through Medicaid. The elderly and the disabled who qualify can get the majority of their approved healthcare expenses covered by Medicare. Children who are members of low-income families who are above the threshold for Medicaid, but who can't afford private insurance, can get help through state-run programs. Some Americans are fortunate enough to have health insurance coverage through their employer.

This still leaves a significant number of people who are looking at paying several thousand dollars a year to get health insurance. Even if they pay their premiums, they may not have full coverage for prescription medications and certain medical procedures.

Cost of Providing Universal Access to Health Insurance

Another issue that needs to be considered when looking at ways of fixing the health insurance crisis in America is where the money to fund universal access will come from. Taxpayers may have concerns that if they are paying for the cost of health insurance, the money may not be spent wisely or that the process for making claims will be complicated.

Insurance companies have been providing health insurance to consumers for many years and this is a significant source of income for them. They won't want to see the government administering healthcare for all Americans if it means losing out on revenue from premiums.

Even if a plan could be worked out that would satisfy taxpayers and the insurance companies, someone will need to determine exactly what services will be covered under any proposed universal health insurance plan. The cost of providing this type of plan will be significant, and no insurance plan can cover all medical procedures and services.

Universal Health Insurance in Other Countries

The United States is the only industrialized nation that hasn't adopted a universal health insurance system for its citizens. This type of system has its critics. People in Canada and Great Britain, two countries with universal health insurance, can wait longer to get healthcare services than their counterparts in the United States.

Positive Aspects to Healthcare in the United States

In spite of the issues surrounding access to healthcare in the United States, its citizens do have access to a high level of care. In fact, thousands of people from other countries come to the United States annually to get treatment either not available to them in their homeland or to cut down on waiting times for procedures and/or medical tests.

Challenges Ahead

While most Americans would likely say that the cost of healthcare is an important issue, finding a solution and fixing the health insurance crisis in America won't be easy. Maintaining the present standard of care will be an important consideration in any proposed solution to the problem. Somehow, controlling costs must be factored into the mix as well as allocating some funds for preventive measures and systems for managing care for people living with chronic diseases.

Instead of having the government take over administering healthcare for Americans, one possible solution is to offer taxpayers some type of assistance in the form of tax credits to make it easier for them to afford to buy private health insurance. This would help somewhat, but any plan of this type would need to address the fact that a good portion of the population in the United States is not able to afford private health insurance.



 


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