Obama & Clinton Duke It Out Over Health Care - Is a Universal Plan The Answer?

Health care in this country is far from perfect.  It's expensive and leaves too many people without the care they need. In the States it's believed  that a universal program would be the answer to all our health insurance problems.  Unfortunately, it's not that easy. What has to be understood is there's no such thing as free.  With socialized medicine personal tax rates go through the roof and the standards for your medical care are severely compromised.

For the past three years I have experienced the Canadian health care system up close and personal. If that's a model we're hoping to follow it scares me.

 

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When my Dad died I took on the responsibility of taking care of my 95 year old Mother.  I chose to have her remain in her own home with 24/7 home care providers. It's what she wanted. That expense was not covered by insurance, but it was important to me that Mom stayed where she felt safe and comfortable. We were lucky, I know the majority of people don't have the luxury of choice.  Too often they are forced to do what they don't want to do.

You would think trying to find my mother a new family doctor would be easy.  It wasn't.  In fact it was a truly horrifying experience.

Living in New York I never realized how tough it was to make an appointment to see a doctor in Toronto.  I must have contacted over 50 before I found one that was willing to accept her as patient.  Physicians were booked solid. Too many people not enough doctors.  The system is stretched paper thin and is cracking under the pressure.

The only way to get prompt attention in Canada is show up at the already overburdened hospital emergency rooms.  Ultimately that's what I had to do with Mom last month, just before she passed away. Other Canadians I talked too are terribly dissatisfied with the system.  They are over taxed and the medical care they receive is not commensurate with the dollars they pay into the system. They have to wait months to get an appointment with a specialist or get an important diagnostic test.  So what do they do?  They come south of the border for prompt and efficient care.  Taking that course of action has saved many lives.

Clinton believes passionately in getting "quality affordable health care for every American." She stressed that nobody should be left out. Obama explained that if a parent is not providing health care for his/her child, that parent is not being responsible. He stressed that under his plan adults will be able to afford quality health care.

Obama said on CNN "In order for you to force people to get health insurance, you've got to have a very harsh, stiff penalty. And Sen. Clinton has said that we will go after their wages." Some say Obama is unwittingly providing the Republicans with ready scripts on this issue if Clinton does become the Democrat candidate.

What are the similarities in Clinton's and Obama's health policies? They both believe -

-- People with insurance will be allowed to keep their current coverage
-- People will be offered new options, such as a government plan along the lines of Medicare\

-- Large employers will have to either pay for all or part of health care cover
-- Insurance companies will not be allowed to cherry pick their customers
-- Too many people in America do not have health care cover or inadequate health care coverage

In a nutshell, Clinton wants everyone to have coverage, and punish those who don't. Obama wants to make sure health cover is affordable, punishing just those who do not provide coverage for their kids

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