Affordable Health Care

Our health care system is indisputably flawed.  It’s increasingly expensive, convoluted, and frustrating.  I’m a Type 1 diabetic.  I pay a lot of money every month for doctor’s visits, prescriptions, and my health insurance.  I’m definitely a proponent for affordable health care. 

The best way to guarantee affordable health care to every individual in the United States is NOT to provide universal health care.  Health care controlled by the government would be a nightmare.  Imagine if legislators were the ones to draw the lines on what was absolutely necessary for your health. 

The best way to guarantee affordable health care to every individual in the United States is to completely get rid of health insurance all together.  I know it’s a scary thought, but it makes sense on many levels.  The John Stossel video below discusses some of the reasons why getting rid of health insurance would save us money.  

If getting rid of health insurance completely is too much of a stretch, what about being able to choose what you want to be covered for instead?  If given the choice, how many men would choose to pay for insurance that covers prenatal care?  How many menopausal women would chose a policy that included birth control?

As part of our health insurance premiums, we’re paying for coverage of things that we’re at absolutely no risk for, but we currently don’t have a choice.  This system could also potentially help curb behaviors that are harmful to your health.  Imagine if the cost of coverage for cancer was tripled by the risk factor of smoking?  Maybe people would reconsider some of their unhealthy habits if there were a price tag attached.      

I also want to tie the concept into what we learned in class this semester.  Health care is the largest industry in the United States.  If the government takes it over, we lose the capability to steer that entire industry to become more sustainable with the concepts we’ve learned.