Readers Respond: Should Health Care Be Reformed?

Responses: 54

By Kimberly Amadeo, About.com Guide

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I shouldn’t be forced to have health insurance just because people who cant afford it go to the emergency room for every little thing and then don’t pay their medical bills. In the last 8 years I have only been to the Doctor twice both times due to chronic back pain. At my last job I was paying $25 a paycheck for health insurance that equals out to be 4,800 of my money taken out of my pay over the past 8 years to cover 2 offices visits blood work and x-rays. If I had paid for it out of my own pocket without insurance it not have cost me anywhere near that amount. Yet my wife up until recently was not working. She has a few health issues that require some professional medical help. If I were to have put her on my insurance at work it would have cost me an extra $250 a pay period. That would be 28% of my paycheck. Some type of health insurance reform is necessary. But forcing me to have health insurance just because some people don’t know how to take care of themselves and run to the doc
—jamestipping

The presidents healthcare bill is better that what we have right now but its not the one he would really lick because of opposition from the greedy right.Here's what I would propose.The insurance companies charge around 16% for administration and the goverment runs medicare for around 3%.Get rid of the ins. cos.and we save about 12-13% right off the top.Single payer in other words.2nd,I would ban the advertising of drugs and hospitals.That saves another 15% and permit the government to buy drugs in bulk like the Canadians do saving another 30 to 40%.Its a flat out disgrace that Americans have to pay 30-40% more for drugs made in our own country than foreigners pay. Unfortunately the 1% have most of the money and are running the country.
—Guest Jon

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am happy with my current health care coverage. I believe that, in the land of opportunity, everyone can manage to find a way to obtain good health coverage for themselves without the government intervening.
—Guest Jason DePue

It should be repealed immediately. The constitution does not give these powers to the federal government. And who can screw up an economy worse than the feds? No one. Blame the housing melt down on FHA and porkulus democrats. When 50% of us pay no taxes... it's easy to vote for more entitelements. We can't sustain the ones we have!!!
—Guest porchdog

the heritage foundation is a conservative (read: republican) think tank. the cons are their viewpoint. i would like to see a more objective look at healthcare reform, not a regurgitation of gop propaganda.
—Guest guestist

I'll start: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2010/09/25/does-obamacare-really-cut-medicare-benefits-to-senior-citizens/
—Guest Deb

Just recieved a letter from Nancy Pelosi stating that the Republicans shattered the promise our country made to seniors as they depended on Medicare.I also read that Obama cut $ 500,000,000 ? Last I knew Obama was a Democrat!!
—Guest Roger

I'm a single mother of 3. I have health insurance from my employer, my children are covered by their father's plan. Last year, I made $33,000 and paid over $3,000 for my health insurance PREMIUMS (not including co-pays and deductibles). If I had to pay for a family plan, I'd have paid nearly $10,000 for the year. Explain to me, all you people saying NO to reform, how that is affordable? You don't want to pay for my children's healthcare? They're MY responsibility and I don't want you to either. But if something were to happen to their father, and it fell on me to find coverage, there is no way I could pay 1/3 of my income for it. I can barely afford my own. I pay rent, drive a used car, pay gas, electric, car insurance, etc. I don't have credit cards. And the only assistance I've asked for, and recieved, is reduced-price lunch for my kids. I'm not looking for a handout. I'm just trying to do more than just get by.
—MsRoy

Repeal it . Let private business do what it does best. Get the government out of health care, its to expensive.
—Guest Bonita Bob

The health care bill should be repealed. Can we really afford over 1 trillion dollars for this added to 14 trillion plus in national debt? People could buy medical insurance for less than what this would cost America!
—Guest Marty Boone

Ihave the best health care in the World.I go to the Mayo Clinic. My cost in addition to Medicare and Blue Cross is 11 grand per year. Why should I pay your doctor bills. You see: I'm a Capitalist!
—Guest DICK

what about ones on disabilty and ssc that cant even make it on such little money and what about vets that has med at va hosp
—Guest tom matthews

Your numbers and logic are way, way off. Utilization will go through the roof, as will costs, as there is no mechanism to actually control costs in the bill(s). Disaster coming.
—Guest Apb

Because the US is non-socialistic country.From the past so many decades they are talking with no fruitful.In non-socialistic country the congress will not discuss the welfare of the people.It is good to category US is capitalistic country rather than democratic country and in that condition the prevail is only the rich.As globalization is taking place in the world today non-socialistic countries will find it hard to pull on say from 5 to 8 years from now.Now we are looking at the second face of US.The people in US are not serious in living in a good manner.In non-socialistic country there is no feeling for human beings and there will be no people co-operation of any sort.It is too late now to change the status of the country.The people in US says that they went to through so many crisis earlier and it seems that they cannot learn anything from crisis to crisis.This crisis cannot be compared to any other crisis before because now a days the pace of life is very fast.
—Guest chand

Kimberly Amadeo
US Economy Guide