Obama’s Campaign For Healthcare

For the past few weeks, the Senate and the House of Representatives have been debating health care reform in the United States. Thus far, discussions have yielded as many as 10 amendments. Below are the three main goals of the health care reform bill.

1. Healthcare coverage for all Americans:

Barack Obama supports universal, mandatory insurance for everyone. His plan would make this possible by offering a public insurance option through the government. The plan also requires all employers, except those who employ less than 25 employees, provide comprehensive insurance to their workforce.

2. Improving healthcare while keeping the deficit in check:

President Obama promises that his health care reform will not worsen the deficit in the coming ten years. He expects to fund his plan by using current monies designated for Medicaid, which provides medical care for those below the poverty line, and Medicare, which covers medical expenses for the elderly. In addition, President Obama is pursuing other policies to reduce costs. For example, the president recently reached an agreement with the hospital industry that should save 155 billion dollars over the next ten years. The government is also considering capping reimbursement for insurance providers in cases where the total amount is above $250,000.

3. Encourage the practice of preventive medicine:

By advocating the use of community hospitals, which help to deal with the scarcity of doctors, and encouraging preventive medicine, Obama hopes to reduce healthcare costs. It is estimated that 80% of healthcare costs can be attributed to certain chronic diseases that could be better controlled by preventative medicine and regular visits to community hospitals and clinics.