In the United States, insurance is something that can’t be ignored and put off until a rainy day. People must have insurance, or there will be a penalty. Like in the UK, if someone is caught driving without car insurance, they will be fined and could lose their licence. But if an individual doesn’t have health insurance, then they will be paying in full for both their prescriptions and office visits – not to mention a fine for not having health insurance to begin with. If one lacks in any department of insurance that they will need – or have a possibility of needing – then they must prepare to pay the very expensive consequences.
Insurance is a good plan. We know that. It handles unexpected costs or regular costs that are difficult to afford in their entirety. Up until a year ago, health insurance was working. The rates were decent and the care was excellent. But health insurance, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare in short) here in the States, has nearly doubled in costs. Not only did monthly payments go up by hundreds but deductibles and out of pocket costs did as well. Some people have to have more than one health insurance plan just to afford prescriptions, which is hardly a good deal for American citizens. Elderly people are now struggling to make ends meet because they are only given so much per month from their retirement fund and with costs going up, even for Medicare, some fear losing their homes, precious valuables, or even everyday necessities.
Obamacare was designed to ensure that every United States citizen would be medically insured. Instead of the people who didn’t have insurance beforehand actually paying for insurance now with new laws, they just hopped on board with public aid and took their chances with any other type of less demanding insurance. Public aid is a wonderful thing for those who don’t abuse it and lie about their income. People fall upon hard times and are still hard workers; they just can’t make ends meet although they’re truly trying. It’s even heartbreaking to see those families be shamed by society because of their needs that they do work for but just can’t afford. This is because of all of the individuals who are granted public aid when their attempt, of lack thereof, to be a working person of society fails.
There are plenty of reasons as to why Obamacare just isn’t working and won’t ever work within the United States. We see this form of healthcare work marvellously around the world in other countries. So, why isn’t it working here? Easy enough – the costs are too much and the care is minimal. Before a law can be passed it must be sent to Congress and, let’s face it, after Congress’ amendments to what was potentially a good plan, it fell through. People, including myself, are left in a financially compromising place because of the unbelievable rates Obamacare forces. Healthcare within the USA has never been mediocre yet before Obamacare we were last in healthcare system rankings amongst other developed countries, according to thinkprogress.org. The fact of the matter is that a large percentage of Americans couldn’t afford health insurance before, so they just didn’t have it. Now it is compulsory, and the healthcare hasn’t changed – only the prices have.
President Obama will preach about working in the favour of the middle class, and at the same time he is tearing us down as we cannot afford this form of healthcare. Why do our rates go up even though we were paying prior to these new laws in comparison to those who didn’t? Why must we, the middle class, be penalised for others’ failures? Because we must afford insurance for those who either cannot afford it or are unwilling to afford it? Why should Obamacare be based upon income, yet our outgoing expenses and bills are not taken into consideration? Why must I, myself, earning a typical wage for a 19 year old woman, be forced to pay nearly 300 dollars a month for insurance not including prescriptions or deductibles because I live under the roof of my much more successful parents? Obamacare isn’t in favour of the middle class but instead only enabling those who would rather leech from the government. Maybe our healthcare system before wasn’t the best, but now forms a type of healthcare that only puts us higher in the ranks and deeper in debt. America needs to be rid of Obamacare and hopefully whoever is granted the job as President of The United States of America in 2016 will achieve that.
Words by Brianna Humes