Hoping for Healthcare Reform (Finally!)
During the 2008 election the candidates, political pundits,
and voters debated the best ways to overhaul a failing healthcare system that's leaving millions uninsured and countless
others being refused care or paying far too much for premiums and
medications.
As politicians continue to try come up with a compromise about
how much healthcare coverage is paid for by the government and how
much is private, one thing's for sure: If ever there was a time
to seriously rethink our health care system, it's now. Lapses
in coverage and out-of-pocket medical expenses could spell disaster
for families already on the brink of financial catastrophe. With
the highest unemployment rate in 15 years, more moms and dads lost
their health insurance in 2008, adding to the already astronomical
rising rates of uninsured.
Lack of insurance and gaps in coverage caused many families to
go completely without preventive healthcare or to hold off on
seeing a doctor until it became a must. That meant more people
(including kids) showed up for care when they were sicker and
needed pricier medical services. And emergency rooms, already
financially strained and experiencing major shortages in doctors
and nurses, are bearing the brunt of the burgeoning crowds. Even
some families with health insurance decided to skip routine
checkups, immunizations, and prescriptions as they tried to make
ends meet.
Now, the new administration looks to restructure our ailing
healthcare system as part of a financial stimulus package that
could provide affordable health care and make a real economic
difference for struggling families.
What to Watch:
The economy and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will still account for
much of the attention and spending in the new administration. But
lawmakers will have to move past their political differences to
figure out the best way to cover the millions of uninsured kids,
especially those of the working poor who don't qualify for
Medicaid or can't afford private insurance.
Past attempts at solutions to overhaul our healthcare system
haven't succeeded. But this time the new administration's
proposed plan just might get the support it needs. For one, it
wouldn't involve the whole-ball-of-wax universal coverage for
everyone (a big concern for those worried about too much government
control and skyrocketing costs for the taxpayer). However, the plan
would
include mandatory coverage for kids. Though the State
Children's Health Insurance Program (or SCHIP) encountered
opposition under President George Bush, the new administration will
support expansion of federal funding for the program. The new
administration's emphasis on preventing illnesses will be a key
feature for controlling costs over the long run - screening and
education about healthy lifestyle choices could result in fewer
kids getting sick and developing often-avoidable conditions (like
obesity and type 2 diabetes).
Whatever happens, kids don't vote and have no say in how or
whether they'll be able to get the care they need to stay
healthy now and as they grow. So parents - and politicians - must
be even more proactive than ever about advocating for kids'
health.
For Parents:
Financial Management During Crisis
Finding Your Way in the Healthcare System
View the next
Issue to Watch
View the entire list of
Issues to Watch
Return to
Main Page
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2009 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. All rights reserved.