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Health care should be provided to all citizens

By Michael L. Hoffman on November 9, 2009 2:40 am in Columns / 17 comments

 
Health care should be provided to all citizens

The United States Declaration of Independence lays out certain unalienable rights Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers believed should be bestowed on all U.S. citizens — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It established the idea of the rights all Americans are entitled to. In today’s world, this should include affordable health care.

I am sure James Madison did not consider health care when he drafted the U.S. Constitution ­— it was designed to be a “living document.” It is 2009, and things have changed.
On Saturday, the House of Representatives approved the Affordable Health Care for America Act with a narrow 220-215 margin, taking the first important step toward making sure health care is affordable for everyone regardless of socioeconomic status or pre-existing condition.

The United States is one of the only modern democracies without some form of national health care. Canada, Great Britain and Germany have it. Even China and Cuba provide health care to their citizens. Our nation has become too concerned with “making a buck” instead of seeing what we can do to help our neighbor.

The insurance companies are spending millions on advertising and lobbying to ensure health care reform is not passed in its current incarnation. It is a similar strategy the tobacco industry took when Senator John McCain pushed for a cigarette tax in the 1990s.

Health care should be a right, not a privilege. It should not be determined by a patient’s bank account.

There are certain medical procedures that everyone should have access to in order to stay healthy. Women should be able to get mammograms and, if pregnant, prenatal care. Men should be able to get colonoscopies.

These are procedures that could help save lives in the long run.

Children are our future. Parents should be able to take their children to the doctors for checkups and not have to work about how much it is going to cost them. As a people, we need to make sure our children are not only safe, but healthy as well.

One of the arguments against the newly passed bill is that federal funding will pay for abortions. This is not the case. A coalition led by conservative Democrats managed to tack on an amendment to the bill stating that no abortions will be paid for by the federal government.

Even though I believe women should have a choice on what to do with their bodies, the cost of that choice should not be shouldered by the taxpayers.

However, no one should have to stay home sick when they have, say, H1N1, and risk getting others infected. Or worse, become critically ill because they could not afford adequate health care.

The House has taken the first important step in ensuring that Americans will have access to affordable health care. The Senate must pick it up from here and follow the House’s lead.

 

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  • William B Schwager

    The Constitution is not and was not meant to be a”living document”!

    “Health Care”is by law provided to all citizens and non citizens when necessary.

    “National Health Care”in the countries you mention results in “rationed care”and “higher costs”,and does not work as well as our current system , which is in need of reform in many areas.

    The government run distribution of the H1N1 flu vaccine is a perfect illustration of the “rationing”of health care , not to mention bureaucrats [ "death panels"as described by some]who are determining who gets the available vaccine.

    85% of the American people are satisfied with their current health insurance,and a majority of Americans are oppossed to the “government take over” of the health care industry and/or “public option”.

    The country is opposed to public health care and simply cannot afford the “trillion dollar +”cost it entails.

    The loss of “individual freedom”in this bill is staggering,which probably explains the lack of “transparency”promised by this administration [remember the 72 hour posting on the web for all bills prior to a vote promised by Obama].

  • Adam

    Health care is a right that every American should have! Ha that is a joke. Just like every American has the right to own a home no matter how much money they make or have saved! That sure did work out well didn’t it?

  • Nick

    First of all, let’s not equate owning a home to getting sick and/or dying. That is absolutely stupid. A problem facing healthcare reform is the system we have in place. I have never believed that health insurance should be sold in the private sector. It should be provided by the government for its citizens. But, you cannot go back and change that. You cannot take the health insurance system and turn the whole thing public after this many years. But reform is needed. And whether you hear it’s 70, 85, or 65 percent of people loving their plans, that is not the point. The point is to deliver coverage to our neighbors without. The elitist’s in this country have done a very good job of taking the common, impressionable working man and making he/she believe that somehow this would not be good for them. YOU ARE BEING USED! The extremely wealthy in this country are terrified their taxes will increase, and are using you people as their front line in fighting this thing. Loss of individual freedoms??? Not having health care when you are DYING is the biggest loss of individual freedom I can think of.

  • Lloyd Duke

    Adam –

    I think it is unfair to compare taking out a bad loan on a house to obtaining affordable health care. Owning a house is not a necessity, people can rent and live just as fruitful lives as homeowners.

    I know that people can also live without health care. What if you didn’t have health care and became seriously ill and couldn’t get a doctor to see you? Would you want coverage then?

  • Robin Parrent

    This is all based on the fact that you’re giving more money to corrupt individuals in the federal government who will ostensibly “make it all better.” The government has no money of its own, it’s part of the same elite class that’s trying to have more power for itself, really there should be some sort of mass movement to form charitable organizations to fund individuals who are without coverage. What about asking your neighbors, friends, or family for the money? Are people that alienated from each other that they assume everyone is going to deny them if they reach out?

  • Greg

    The Dems want to pass healthcare reform because it means more power and control. Think about it. If the gov. provides for our healthcare, it gives them the ability to control every other aspect of our lives because it can all be traced back to our “health.” The gov. will then argue since they pay for our healthcare, they have the right regulate the health aspects of our lives. Which will evolve into tyranny. To argue somehow Jefferson or Madison or our Founding Fathers would be in favor of healthcare reform is laughable. The Founding Fathers hated almost all gov. programs because they knew it would lead to bigger government and tyranny. Here are some quotes from Jefferson and Madison to prove this point. So if you are going argue for healthcare reform, be honest and don’t lie saying somehow the constitution or our Founding Fathers would be for it. The Founders never wanted the constitution to be a “living document”

    In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief of French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison stood on the floor of the House to object saying, “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”
    James Madison, 4 Annals of congress 179 (1794)

    “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”
    James Madison, Federal No. 45, January 26, 1788

    “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”
    Thomas Jefferson, letter to E. Carrington, May 27, 1788

  • Linus

    People should have to go bankrupt if they get sick or injured while uninsured. Feh, the uninsured are just dregs anyway.

  • Nick

    I see some of us have been watching a little too much of the Glenn Beck program. Our Founding Fathers probably didn’t envision 300 million people living in this country. Also, they probably understood that what they believed may not exactly work in 2009. People trying to make you feel less that patriotic for wanting everyone to have health care is the probably the sickest thing I have ever heard of. The rich folks in this country are using people because they are afraid of tax hikes, plain and simple. Dems and Obama don’t care? Probably not, but they care a hell of a lot more than that drunken idiot Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh.

  • Bromancerofthestone

    Yeah. I can’t wait till I’m off my parent’s insurance. Getting raped by the insurance companies for terrible coverage sounds like a great plan. Let’s let capitalism screw us; it’s the American way.

  • p00psmith

    Dear Mike,

    Thank you for this article. You’re an intelligent person and a sympathetic one, unlike some of the folks on this board. Let’s look forward to a future that is insured.

  • Kathryn

    I find it funny that William commented about the 85% of Americans that are happy with their health care and thats great that they are. But what about the other 15%, how do they feel? How does the percentage of people who don’t have health care feel? I was one of those people up until about a year ago, and it was the greatest thing that happened to me and I’m sure many people feel the same way. People should be able to know that if they get sick that they are taken care of, we need to start thinking like those who don’t have health care and stop thinking like those who do. Those who have health care, let me ask you this, how would you feel if your health care was taken away or you simply just didn’t have it?

  • Jefferson D.

    The government as parent; just what this country needs. Coupled with the patronizing attitude of Obama, this is a clear victory for “big government” in its worst form.

  • Noah

    I agree with the writer here than everyone should be afforded health care … problem is, this bill has nothing to do with health care, it has everything to do with HEALTH INSURANCE! Right now, if someone is sick and needs immediate health care, they can walk into any hospital and get the neccessary care, regardless of their ability to pay for it. EVERYONE (even illegal immigrants) have this current right.

    The current bill is just politicians looking to take more power over from the private sector (this time, the insurance companies). You must separate out health care from health insurance to understand my point here.

    Additionally, government run health insurance will only lead to another bankrupt system and care rationing — it happens now with Medicare. My mother-in-law recommends patients for certain care through Medicare and Medicaid right now. She said that people have to be sick enough to qualify for most treatments … if they don’t qualify, they just don’t get the treatment they may need. It happens today and both programs are still going broke!

    For those of you complaining about how much lobbying money is spent by insurance companies, go look at how much campaign money is spent buy your Senators and Congressmen — they don’t discuss that so much!

    Yes, the system is broke, but it can be fixed through some small incremental steps like Tort Reform, Taking Away the Anti-Trust Exemption, buying power across state lines, etc. It does not need to be overhauled and taken over by government — that will make it worse.

    I agree with the writer we can do better, but disagree with the way it needs to be done. Besides, many of those 65 Million without insurance, opt out, or are illegal immigrants anyway. We need to look at the real number and come up with a real solution!

  • Nick

    I find this “big government” fear to be a joke. He will raise taxes on the wealthy. He has raised some other taxes that do have some effect on everyone, but come on, it’s not THAT bad. When people call this guy a communist, I want to puke. You have got to be kidding me. It is an insult to millions of people around the world who suffer under real communist-style regimes. We have it pretty good, and those of you who are so worried about big government, I bet you weren’t so worried when Bush enacted the Patriot Act, were you? What a greedy place this can be.

  • Noah

    Nick,

    I’m not sure what the patriot act had to do with big government … it gave them more flexibility to wire tap, etc., but if you have nothing to hide, should not be an issue.

    Let me educate you here because you’re clearly just speaking to democratic talking points. Look at the government run institutions now: Medicare, Social Security, Postal Mail. All are regulated givening them a monopoly. I’ll drop the USPS because its too complicated for your seeming simple mind.

    Social Security and Medicare (both democratic installments) are going bankrupt faster than ever. Medicare has to ration care — I know this for a fact because I have a family member who’s job is to recommend their care and her statement “People who are more unhealthy get approved much easier than those who are healthier”.

    Your democrats are planning on using “savings” from waste in the current system to help pay for their new bill. Why don’t they show us those savings now? If they could prove to be able to run something … anything … efficiently, it would give them a leg to stand on. Truth is, government, Dem or Repub, is inefficient and lets face it: They are not doctors … just a bunch of lawyers and politicians.

    Wake up and research something from both sides before spouting the standard talking points — keeping an open mind to both sides and formulating your own argument works wonders!

  • http://nanfex@aol.com nancy

    I do not believe Government should control healthcare reform. In MIchigan,
    Government starting controling everything, healthcare, why expensive,
    if run by non-profit organization. Healthcare could have been alot cheaper.

    In michigan we have alot from other countries, has this cost healthcare out of
    control, No one can answer if all non-profit organization makes a profit
    who would get it.

    I believe healthcare needs to be fixed but not this way.
    Healthcare could reform by doctor vistit cheaper, When you in the hospital,
    doctors should tell all there associates so they can bill your insurance.

    One things I believe years ago business and union work together, they
    for example, i work at Burger king, 1977, $2.35 an hour, once I had
    40hrs a week, i had Blue cross,blue shield. Union pay so much, and you also
    had healthcare. But I believe Unions kept want more money,Greed,
    and healthcare rates kept going.

    Alot companies went to you get paid so much, and you pay so much a week.

    If even one hates taxes now, Taxes will be hirer, and I believe healthcare will
    be less.

    We the people that worked all there life paid into medicare/medicaid, social
    securtiy, I believe our government want to destroy what people work for.

    Government does not have money, Only way government get money by
    taxes, What have they done with all the money.

  • affan

    i agree with nancy shes right