Introduction
Since insurers are no longer allowed to refuse coverage or charge extra due to previous illnesses, the U.S. healthcare system has changed, providing full healthcare coverage to millions of Americans and enabling anybody with health issues to obtain coverage. Additionally, fewer individuals are skipping out on medical care due to cost or reporting excessive out-of-pocket expenses compared to their income. In several states, coverage improvements have halted or even reversed. Therefore, subsidized healthcare is an important social problem which includes various influential economical and governmental aspects.
Social Problem: Subsidized Healthcare
Nowadays, more people are reporting difficulties paying for healthcare. Working-age Americans without insurance in 2018 were disproportionately low-income, Latino, and under 35 years old (Gunja & Collins, 2019, para. 4). Of uninsured people, two-thirds had not looked at the market to see their coverage alternatives. A third claimed they did not believe they could pay for health insurance (Gunja & Collins, 2019, para. 6). It is possible that over half of uninsured persons qualified for government-sponsored coverage through the market or the expanded Medicaid program in their state. The percentage of persons who attempted to purchase a policy in the private market and reported difficulty locating an affordable plan decreased from 60% to 34% (Gunja & Collins, 2019, para. 7). Nevertheless, the proportion of uninsured in these categories remained high in 2018 (Gunja & Collins, 2019). Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid expansion or marketplace subsidies: instead, they may only purchase insurance on the private market outside of the marketplaces.
Republican Views on the Problem
With an aging population, more Americans will rely on Medicare. Republican believe that funding of Medicare and Medicaid must be brought under control to retain these crucial programs (Buck, 2020). By modernizing Medicare, giving its users more power, and securing its financial future, they want to rescue it. The long-term debt of Medicare is in the billions, and it is supported by a population that is getting smaller in proportion to the number of beneficiaries in the future. It is time to place a crucial initiative on a more stable track when it is so obvious that it will end in a train crash. No modifications should be made for anyone over 55 (Buck, 2020). Others should have the option to choose between traditional Medicare and a premium-support model intended to increase patient choice, encourage provider cost-saving competition, and better protect against abuse and fraud. Every enrollee will get a guaranteed income-adjusted contribution to their chosen plan with catastrophic insurance. It is crucial to establish a more appropriate age for qualification in light of today’s greater life duration without penalizing current retirees or those approaching retirement.
Democratic View on the Problem
Individuals and families should choose between maintaining their current coverage and selecting from various private health insurance, including several private and public decisions. All Americans should be able to afford coverage thanks to subsidies offered through tax breaks and other mechanisms. Democrats believe that access to health care is a human right, not a benefit and that individuals should come first in our healthcare system. They will control costs by lowering out-of-pocket spending, reducing premiums, and managing the price of prescription drugs (Buck, 2020). Democrats will also strive to stop unexpected billing and other medical debt-related practices that put unjustifiable pressure on American households’ finances. Democrats will assist so that Americans will not be burdened with exorbitant expenses and push back against insurers that try to impose disproportionate rate hikes.
Although support for Medicare for All and comparable measures to increase access to health insurance tends to be higher than the opposition, many persons are undecided about them (neither support nor oppose). Support for Medicare for All is prevalent among young persons, people of color and Hispanic adults, people with low incomes, and people without private health insurance (Holahan & Karpman, 2019). Those who are neither in favor of nor against Medicare for All share many of these qualities. Supporters and opponents of Medicare for All have various perspectives on how the policy would affect the availability of care, with those who are indifferent about the policy’s impact feeling more like supporters. They point to universal health care and improved affordability as key reasons for their commitment. For those who oppose Medicare for All, more taxes and worries about the length of waits to see doctors and the standard of treatment are more relevant.
Historically, social welfare has played an important role since health is an inevitable part of overall well-being. Healthcare cannot be separated from other aspects of people’s lives, and it is crucial for the flourishing of society. The most consistent philosophy seems to be democratic since it allies with the principle of service from the code of ethics. Professionals prioritize serving others over serving their interests. Social workers rely on their knowledge, beliefs, and abilities. To assist those in need and deal with various issues, specialists are urged to give back part of their professional abilities without expecting much money (Read the code of ethics, n.d.). However, some contradictions are expressed in a way that the social worker’s goal is to help people at all costs while translating those values into practice might not still be inclusive or fair to everyone. Based on the profession’s core values, the social work field should move towards a greater emphasis on the problems of underrepresented communities, such as people of color and low-income families.
My values resemble the democratic beliefs that healthcare access is a human right, not a luxury, and that individuals should come first in our healthcare system. I have had a classmate from a low-income family in school, and I know that they were constantly struggling with money. We were also neighbors, and my parents were friends with hers. I remember the specific incident when my classmate had an extreme toothache which made her eventually faint. Her caregivers later explained that they were saving money to take her to the dentist because she needed her wisdom teeth to be removed but they could afford it. I have observed similar situations throughout my life, and this story, in particular, has impacted my viewpoints on healthcare. Therefore, I believe that subsidized healthcare should continue to improve and expand to help those who struggle to afford it.
Conclusion
Overall, subsidized healthcare is a remarkable problem which closely interconnects with the social work. The expansion of coverage has been stopped or reversed in certain areas, but more individuals are complaining about financial challenges in accessing healthcare. Since Medicaid dominates the healthcare market for long-term care, new births, and those with mental illness, it is the next stage in welfare reform. Each enrollee will receive a guaranteed income-adjusted contribution to the catastrophic insurance plan of their choice. Democrats consider health care access a human right, not a privilege. Concerns around the length of medical appointment wait times and the quality of care are especially pertinent for individuals who are against Medicare for All. I think that it should be improved and expanded to aid individuals who find it difficult to pay for healthcare. Healthcare is integral to the well-being of society and cannot be divorced from other facets of people’s life.
References
Buck, C. (2020). Democrats vs. republicans: What is their stance on healthcare? Rantt. Web.
Gunja, M., Z., & Collins, S., R. (2019). Who are the remaining uninsured, and why do they lack coverage? The Commonwealth Fund. Web.
Holahan, J. & Karpman, M. (2019). What explains support for or opposition to Medicare for All? Urban Institute. Web.
Read the code of ethics. (n.d.). National Association of Social Workers. Web.