Health Care Reform
Yes We Can
As the elections become closer and closer, the time to decide whom one will support come voting time gets shorter. One of the important aspects that will be a key determinant in the decision of voters is the health insurance reform plans laid out by each of the candidates. It will be this papers goal to breakdown and analyze the reform plans of candidate Barack Obama in his campaign for presidency. Obama’s plans for reform are clear and precise. He cites that the greatest problem with today’s health care system is the rising costs of health care itself which in turn has led to a large number of Americans left without coverage. His plan for health care insurance “begins by covering every American.” Obama’s plan revolves around the idea of offering insurance to each and every American. This new national health plan will guarantee that no American is refused insurance due to illness or pre-health conditions. Part of the new national health care will cover all essential medical services including maternal, preventative and mental health care1. The plan also addresses the costs side of health care. Obama will create affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles as well as the overall cost of health care by “modernizing” the U.S. health care system itself1. This cost reduction involves several steps. One of the key steps toward lowering the costs according to Obama would be to help the patients directly by supporting disease management programs. Obama will require that health care providers participate in what he calls the “Federal Employee Health Care Benefits Program1” (FEHBP). Obama states that by doing so, it will not only give doctors better information but it will also improve the quality of the health care provided. Another one of the ways to reduce the cost of care will be to manage and integrate care for patients. Obama cites it costs the U.S. $1.7 trillion alone in care for Americans with at least one chronic disease1. Besides the quality
As the elections become closer and closer, the time to decide whom one will support come voting time gets shorter. One of the important aspects that will be a key determinant in the decision of voters is the health insurance reform plans laid out by each of the candidates. It will be this papers goal to breakdown and analyze the reform plans of candidate Barack Obama in his campaign for presidency. Obama’s plans for reform are clear and precise. He cites that the greatest problem with today’s health care system is the rising costs of health care itself which in turn has led to a large number of Americans left without coverage. His plan for health care insurance “begins by covering every American.” Obama’s plan revolves around the idea of offering insurance to each and every American. This new national health plan will guarantee that no American is refused insurance due to illness or pre-health conditions. Part of the new national health care will cover all essential medical services including maternal, preventative and mental health care1. The plan also addresses the costs side of health care. Obama will create affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles as well as the overall cost of health care by “modernizing” the U.S. health care system itself1. This cost reduction involves several steps. One of the key steps toward lowering the costs according to Obama would be to help the patients directly by supporting disease management programs. Obama will require that health care providers participate in what he calls the “Federal Employee Health Care Benefits Program1” (FEHBP). Obama states that by doing so, it will not only give doctors better information but it will also improve the quality of the health care provided. Another one of the ways to reduce the cost of care will be to manage and integrate care for patients. Obama cites it costs the U.S. $1.7 trillion alone in care for Americans with at least one chronic disease1. Besides the quality
Bibliography: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ http://alankatz.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/senator-barack-obamas-health-care-reform-plan/