On the question of fixing America’s health care, I think that the single payer healthcare system is something to focus on because of the benefits it will bring in labor, healthcare infrastructure sustainability and personal finance for all Americans.
After President George W Bush bailed out the banks in 2008, President Obama tried to get a jobs bill going and even tried to get corporations a tax incentive to move factories back to the United States. However, his most important focus was Obamacare, a reform of the healthcare system to expand access, and this became his primary legislative target for significant period of his Presidency.
Much like Obama, President Trump equally has his interests. He talks about trade, going to war with half the world and immigration. In his own style, Trump has undoubtedly secured some long term Republican goals with the tax cuts being the obvious example. Whether you agree with them or not, he achieved this Republican dream.
On the other hand, the Trump administration hasn’t focused that much on health care, except to undermine Obamacare. But it seems to me like we citizens must speak up and express our aspirations for access to healthcare for all. Those who have cancer for example, should get treatment even if they are not rich.
Addressing our nation’s health care problem is an absolute necessity. I would hope the Trump administration would try the same approach it used for the tax cut, that of making concerted efforts in its policy choices, but this time in working to fix healthcare.
The best option for a national healthcare system seems to be a single payer system similar to that in other countries. Focusing on the single payer health care system will be beneficial because it will likely lead to a fall in the cost of labor. For example, America has already lost auto manufacturing plants to Canada over this one issue because Canada has a national system and we don’t, meaning American companies must develop their own solutions with labor.
A single payer system could save hospitals that are on the brink of collapse by guaranteeing a stable future. There are many communities in the US that depend on the local hospital for good paying jobs. It would also drastically reduce the country’s bankruptcy rate – there are many Americans who end up ruining their credit because of having to file bankruptcy over healthcare. Such a reform would would put some normalcy and predictability into the American system, a victory for everyone.
As it sits now, the mess of healthcare in the US has left the average citizen shell-shocked from a series of ongoing abuses designed into the current system. Many have come to see a true solution as beyond reach. There are certainly other issues that deserve attention such as affordable education, election administration, and prison reform. But out of all the reforms this country needs, I’d personally like to see America accomplish health care for all. Our citizens deserve it!
David Anderson says
If you meet many foreign tourists from rich countries with universal medial care you should use the term “medical bankruptcy” in conversation with one. They probably won’t even know what the term means
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Additionally – in those countries the gvt has an incentive to practice preventative medicine (b/c they’ll have to pay for everybody eventually, so preventative med makes sense. It doesn’t here.)
Also… fewer community diseases for similar reasons. (Think TB, many STIs)
AND there are no boards of directors with huge salaries. Our incentives are all messed up here.
We pay MORE for WORSE outcomes and our system isn’t capitalistic at all. Its cronyism to the insuance lobby’s advantage.
Not sure why you (and many others) count “tax cuts” as one of Trump’s “achievements” – to give away so much money to the 1%,to corporations who use the cuts for stock buybacks, and blow up the national debt that the hideous little reptile Paul Ryan yelped about for years. After Newt Gingers and Ted Cruise, he’s the worst.
Decent article from you nevertheless.
Jack Jones says
I agree with you as usual I’d love to hang out with you some time and talk. What I meant by trump achieving the tax cuts was he met his goal that is all, I was trying to encourage a single focused achievement from the left from a bad example. I completely agree with you the tax cuts were and are a terrible idea and your right all it has accomplished besides more debt, is stock buy backs to cause a over inflated market to a sooner market correction in my opinion and the next thing the republicans have been concerned about is debt caused in part by this stupid act, so they will attack the poor and what’s left of the middle class with all their might so they can still claim that they are conservative. Thanks for reading I hope to talk in the future Jack Jones