The politics of healthcare reform
Kofi Ogbujiagba
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: News
Healthcare reform has always been a hot-button issue in the country, and remains so today. The first serious attempt to address the problem of universal coverage dates back to Theodore Roosevelt, whose defeat in the 1912 election brought the efforts of progressive healthcare reformers to an untimely end. Franklin D. Roosevelt was also unsuccessful in his bid to galvanize support for the reform.
Today, the fight has taken on an evangelical flavor, with both democrats and republicans preaching opposing doctrines of whether or not to go ahead with reform. Even those who agree that there is need for reform seem not to be able to agree on what shape and form the bill should take. The biggest problem in the battle for a comprehensive healthcare reform is the fact that the situation has become so complicated that it is very difficult to separate politics from the real health care issues confronting the nation.
The most divisive issue confronting lawmakers in the current debate is what the White House and democrats call "public option," and the republicans derisively refer to as "government-controlled" or "socialized" healthcare.
Public option as defined by democrats is the provision of an alternative that will protect public interest by creating competition and serving as a counterweight to the private insurance companies in the marketplace for health insurance. Supporters of public option claim that apart from ensuring that every American is covered, it has the added value of keeping the insurance companies honest by widening the range of choice for patients.
On the other hand, the republicans describe it as government control of the healthcare industry. They see it as an unwarranted attempt by the government to interfere in the way that healthcare is provided to the citizenry by creating another layer of bureaucracy in the management of the industry.
In their efforts to justify their positions on the issue, both parties have taken their concerns to the public through the mass media and other organs of public information and discourse. Expectedly, the parties have been trying to portray the other's position as unrealistic and not in the best interests of the people.
Today, the fight has taken on an evangelical flavor, with both democrats and republicans preaching opposing doctrines of whether or not to go ahead with reform. Even those who agree that there is need for reform seem not to be able to agree on what shape and form the bill should take. The biggest problem in the battle for a comprehensive healthcare reform is the fact that the situation has become so complicated that it is very difficult to separate politics from the real health care issues confronting the nation.
The most divisive issue confronting lawmakers in the current debate is what the White House and democrats call "public option," and the republicans derisively refer to as "government-controlled" or "socialized" healthcare.
Public option as defined by democrats is the provision of an alternative that will protect public interest by creating competition and serving as a counterweight to the private insurance companies in the marketplace for health insurance. Supporters of public option claim that apart from ensuring that every American is covered, it has the added value of keeping the insurance companies honest by widening the range of choice for patients.
On the other hand, the republicans describe it as government control of the healthcare industry. They see it as an unwarranted attempt by the government to interfere in the way that healthcare is provided to the citizenry by creating another layer of bureaucracy in the management of the industry.
In their efforts to justify their positions on the issue, both parties have taken their concerns to the public through the mass media and other organs of public information and discourse. Expectedly, the parties have been trying to portray the other's position as unrealistic and not in the best interests of the people.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Duane Stegall
posted 11/09/09 @ 5:30 PM CST
Here we have an administration that promised 120 million does of swine flu shots and delivered 30 million. And these are distributed to the banks that got us in trouble in the first place. (Continued…)
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posted 12/25/09 @ 9:12 PM CST
Public option as defined by democrats is the provision of an alternative that will protect public interest by creating competition and serving as a counterweight to the private insurance companies in the marketplace for health insurance. (Continued…)
Insurance Quotes Comments
posted 2/08/10 @ 5:06 PM CST
What will the White House and democrats call "public option" ? The republicans refer to as "government-controlled" or "socialized" healthcare.
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