Healthcare in America: A Middle Ground for Compassionate and Responsible Reform
One medical bill away from financial ruin? You’re not alone. Why affordable healthcare is not just a political issue, but a moral one.
Imagine waking up one day, feeling unwell, and knowing that the cost of seeking medical care might be more than you can afford. Imagine the heartache and terror if it was one of your kids.
For many Americans, this is a frightening reality. Despite living in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, access to affordable healthcare remains out of reach for too many. This article dives into the complexities of healthcare in the United States and explores how we might find a middle ground—a solution that’s compassionate, responsible, and sustainable.
The Dilemma of Public vs. Private Healthcare
For those of us who lean center-right politically, there’s often a knee-jerk reaction against government involvement in healthcare. The idea of bureaucrats managing something as crucial as health is unsettling. After all, healthcare represents about one-sixth of the U.S. economy. The concern is valid: government-run programs can be inefficient, slow, and prone to the kind of red tape that frustrates both patients and providers. Also, the politicians often use things like healthcare (and many other topics) as a political football, not realizing or not caring that real lives are in the middle.
However, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that healthcare is essential. It’s not just about treating the sick; it’s about preventing financial catastrophe, offering a lifeline to those on the brink of despair, and, quite literally, saving lives. When we’re willing to spend billions on foreign aid, pork-barrel projects, and even illegal immigrants, shouldn’t we also ensure that every American has access to basic healthcare services, including mental health, dental, and vision care?
My Personal Experience with Government-Run Healthcare
I receive my healthcare through the VA, which has its flaws. The service is often inconsistent, and navigating the system requires being your own fierce advocate. I often wonder how folks who are “diminished” and/or very old navigate their way through a very cumbersome and at times convoluted system. I am pretty sure that a lot of folks fall through the system. The amount of pushing, complaining, follow-up and powering through that I gotta do, just to get anything done lets me know that if someone is alone and “way past their prime” and unable to fight for themselves (and have no one to help them)… will have a tough time getting proper care.
Although I have found the nurses pretty good… just as good as you will find in the civilian medical community… many of the doctors are average at best (usually older and near retiring, very young or foreign), and administrative support (front desk and phone staff) can be somewhere between not too empathetic & lacking to downright horrible. Yet, despite these issues, it’s better than having no healthcare at all. When the system works or is made to improve—usually thanks to the pressure from forceful politicians who care—it can be a godsend. But the inconsistencies and the need for constant advocacy highlight the dangers of putting too much control in the hands of the government.
So, where do we go from here? I’m not in favor of a fully government-run healthcare system for the entire country, but I do believe in government subsidies that make healthcare affordable for everyone. I think if smart people can get together… set aside politics and really put things in perspective—something can be worked out. Unfortunately, I am not going to hold my breath as the government couldn’t even do the “Cash for Clunkers” program right… and with something as big as healthcare… with as much money at stake as there would be… well, humans will be humans (especially politicians) and jack it up.
Imagine a system where individuals earning under $75,000, or families making under $150,000, receive heavily subsidized healthcare (and people under 26 are free). Such a system could be reasonably adjusted annually for inflation or cost-of-living increases, and while patients might pay a small copay to prevent unnecessary overuse of services, the bulk of costs of medical services (to also include mental health, eye care, vision and prescriptions) would be covered at least in part if not wholly (within fair parameters) by the government. The “numbers” I used above are ready to be debated. I am not an economic or policy expert on this topic and it’s something I thought was a reasonable starting point.
The Rising Cost of Healthcare: A Slippery Slope
One of the most pressing issues in American healthcare is the outrageous cost of services. It’s not uncommon to hear about someone spending just a couple of hours in the ER, getting a few tests and a brief consultation, only to walk away with a bill in the tens of thousands of dollars. This is unacceptable.
But how do we address these skyrocketing costs without resorting to heavy-handed government price controls? The answer lies in smart regulation—a non-biased group of experts could develop strategies to slow down these runaway expenses. It’s a delicate balance: we don’t want the government dictating prices, but we also can’t allow healthcare costs to spiral out of control, especially if the government is subsidizing the majority of those costs.
A New Perspective on Obamacare
I was initially against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) when it was introduced. My stance was mostly influenced by the political “tribe” that I identify with, which viewed the legislation as an overreach. However, after taking a closer look, I realized that while it has flaws, the ACA has merit. I don’t like how it was forced down the American people’s throats, how bad it was politicized, how fast it got pushed through and how it was initially implemented, but thankfully, it has somewhat worked its way out and I think could be used as a starting point.
If we can send billions upon billions of dollars to countries that can’t stand us… we spend a ton of money on undocumented folks… we spend a ton on “pork-projects” and we waste a ton of money on mismanaged programs—certainly we can lower those items and start funding things for the actual people who live here. We just showed after 20 years of the Global War on Terror that we can “crap” out money when we need it, so let’s do it for us this time.
Obamacare needs some fine-tuning and to be improved in many areas, especially in making it more affordable for the middle class, give the lower level programs people can sign up for access to better doctors, simplify things and make the signup and management of it easier, ensure that the marketplace is more stable (ie. companies can’t just dip in and out of it or steeply fluctuate their prices), close coverage gaps, be more small-business friendly, have it be less burdensome and more affordable, figure out a way to make the marketplace more competitive to force the market to be more affordable (ie. implement the “public insurance option” in the national health insurance marketplace), simplify enrollment and coverage options, and ensure that the healthcare marketplace remains competitive and accessible.
We need reforms that make healthcare more stable, affordable, and fair. Expanding Medicaid, offering better preventive care, and addressing mental health and substance abuse more effectively should be part of this reform. We must also tackle the ‘family glitch,’ which prevents some families from qualifying for affordable coverage, and we also need to create a reinsurance program that stabilizes premiums.
I also think focusing on preventive care and making people take some health education courses can also help reduce costs over the long-haul. Look, if we as a nation are gonna pay you for your healthcare, the least you can do is work on being healthier, so it cost everyone less. I don’t think getting educated on some topic related items is too much to ask… and how about smoking less while you’re at it (and I am a former smoker) and eating better (which I am also working on improving).
Why Healthcare Matters
It’s tragic that in a country as prosperous as the United States, many people are just one medical emergency away from financial ruin. We all get sick eventually; it’s a fact of life. The idea that so many Americans might not be able to afford care when they need it most is unacceptable. Healthcare is not just a commodity—it’s a basic human need.
We must ensure that any government involvement in healthcare is responsible, efficient, and designed to serve the people, not the bureaucrats. This isn’t about leaning left or right; it’s about doing what’s right for everyone. If you believe otherwise, perhaps it’s time to reassess your priorities… learn some empathy… get some self-awareness. You may be good to go today, but I have seen many people over the years… rocking it well for years… until they weren’t. Healthcare is a universal need, and ensuring access to it is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a society.
I know a lot of people who are on the “right” from a political POV are often against this type of thing… but after seeing some things over the past 10 years, I have shifted my point of view. Look, I still “lean to the right” but I support the country and the citizens way before I support a political ideology. It’s just the right thing to do.
Now, we gotta make sure we don’t go full-socialist and start pushing the government to dive into everything, but I think healthcare is that important that the government should take the right plunge into it… but just do it responsibly.
