With the number of of uninsured and underinsured Americans growing daily, President
Barack Obama's administration is pushing to pass its new heathcare reform bill by the
end of the year. The bill calls for $1 trillion to establish a government-sponsored heath
insurance program that any American can participate in.
In the current economic climate, a plan such as this one would be incredibly beneficial
to the group of recent college graduates who are no longer insurable on their parents'
plans and are facing unemployment.
These students, left in a sort of health care-limbo, have bigger problems to worry about
than wondering whether or not they can afford to visit a doctor, and Obama's plan
would allow them to stay healthy and focused on putting themselves to work.
Once students do find jobs, the proposed system will give those with lackluster coverage through their employer more options for coverage.
On the other side of the coin, the cost of this bill may cause more harm than good if ways are not found to reduce the price tag.
The increased deficit, should the bill not be planned properly, would put long-term strain
on the same young adults who would benefit immedietly.
The most promising prospect for cutting costs is the reduction in heath care spending. Analysts suggest as much as 30 percent of spending is wasteful, nearly $700 billion
a year.
Finding ways to reduce the cost of heath care would benefit all Americans, whether or
not they choose to take advantage of the public option in the proposed program.
This is the best time for heathcare reform, as more people will benefit from a new
system during the recession.
As long as the administration finds ways to cut costs while providing a means for the
uninsured to be covered, the bill will do far more good than harm.
