According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine, a lot of Americans will lose their health insurance due to the weak economy and the expensive health care. They also say that safety-net services like charity care cannot meet the needs of people without insurance.
A member of The Institute went to the White House and Congress and said it was time to take urgent steps. Steps that guarantee that all Americans have coverage. According to the government 15 percent of the Americans had no private or public health insurance in 2007. There will be a further increase of people without health insurance because of the rising unemployment. And it is known that people without an health insurance wait longer to get important medical care, this due to the high costs.
On Monday, President Barack Obama decided to make a priority of health care. The government will spend $2.5 trillion on health care this year! A big difference compared with $912 billion in 1993.
Just a small part of the Americans (160 million) receives a health coverage from his employer. First of all it is due to the surging health care costs and on the second place comes the change of contracts, full-time jobs with contract become part-time and temporary jobs. And when the employers do offer a health insurance, more and more employees are refusing it because they cannot permit the premiums. The average premium for a family coverage rose in ten years time from $1,543 to $3,354!
In my opinion I think it’s really necessary that the government helps these people to get a coverage. Cause health care is a necessity of life! It’s a shame some people cannot afford the right medication for their children or that people die because they couldn’t afford help… In this case America should take a look at Belgium, our medical system is really great compared to their system. The fact that the government will spend $2.5 trillion says enough!
De Ridder Steffie
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51N4JV20090224
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The United States of America does not have a health care system. In Belgium it is obligatory that an employer take out an insurance for his employees in case of an industrial accident, this is not a commitment in America. In Belgium there is on every corner of the street a general practitioner and a pharmacist, in America there are not that much. In America people have more the intention to go to a hospital because they have waited too long that their disease has become worse.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenA hospitalization is an enormous cost and this medical cost is for the account of the patient. There is no intervention of a National Health Service or an insurance company, because most Americans have not taken out a health-insurance. Some people just cannot pay the invoice and become into big problems, debts continue to rise. This is a phenomenon that occurs a lot of people in any country when there is no support at all of the government. I think it is very good that America has finally decided to take on this problem that affects so many people.
Sofie De Cooman