Let Me Fill You In...

I had a good friend ask me what the recently passed health care bill consists of. It is important for all of us to know what the bill encompasses. So, for those of you who need some filling in, here you go. For those of you who know what is going on, feel free to add to this post via comment.

So the story goes something like this...

Approximately 40 million Americans do not have health care insurance for whatever reason(s). The bill is supposed to cover those people without and provide those of us who have health care with better, cheaper insurance.

The plan included funding for abortion, but when that was removed, the Democrats gathered the votes from those on the fence bc they were not going to vote for the bill if federally funded abortion was included. There was talk of providing health insurance for illegals, but I am pretty sure that was removed as well. Government will require everyone to have insurance or fines will be enforced.

The Pros:
-those who lack insurance will have it, thus hopefully creating a healthier America
-people like you and I will be on our parents health insurance until we are 26 years old, but it seems irrelevant if EVERYONE is going to be insured.
-prices are SUPPOSED to go down, in terms of premiums for doctor visits and I am guessing for medical procedures too

The Cons:
-will cost a lot
-paid for by taking out of the Medicare fund and raising taxes for everyone (essentially taking from the rich and poor and giving to the poorest)
-weakens economy bc: a) no competition in health insurance field which is crucial for a strong economy and b) more taxes takes money out of our pockets that could be spent on products and services that help economy and c) taxes hurt small businesses which in turn causes more job losses.
-waiting to see a doctor will be longer bc more people will have access and like now the people who have it completely free will swarm the clinic and pharmacies, creating for crowds...this could make an outbreak of the Flu even worse.
-if the service is like Canada, which many think it will be, then you could go weeks or months before seeing a doctor in many circumstances that are urgent.

And that is the view from this side.