Healthcare In America: Who Pays for It?

 Healthcare, what an intricate topic to talk about this morning.  As darkness comes to dawn, I wish to bring to light such a topic that comes to the forefront of my mind.  Something that everyone needs, and so few can live without.  I personally have no healthcare, but I can understand why I must speak up and out for millions of others on the brink of change in this very nation.  So one may ask, why are you so adamant to bring finger to key if you have no healthcare costs yourself.  I think of my parents, both in their 60’s, on the brink of retirement, yet they may see their healthcare prices rise in the next fiscal year.  As I sit and ponder on this idea, I think about all the factors that come in to play for why healthcare costs may rise in the United States such as: expiration to certain provisions to the Affordable Care Act, anticipated rise in drug prices and healthcare service rates, and of course to demand for healthcare in a rising age demographic lay at the back burner of rising drug prices.  

Before we can discuss these factors, we must first look at what one deems the purpose of the federal and state governments.  From a historical perspective and context, the purpose of government is to provide for the welfare and common good of the people.  A functional society is one that is healthy and commits to contributing to the common good of a nation as a whole.  As one reflects on such concepts and ideas, one can deduce that the government should act in such ways to provide measures to lift up the people to allow for them to contribute to the common good.  From an economic perspective, a healthy society is a prosperous society.  As a result, it is the fiduciary responsibility for a government to provide expenditures to promote the health and wellness of the society and people they represent.  

We can’t afford to sit back and allow the dust to settle after a cloud of indecision by our nation’s governments refuses to act on such measures.  I am a republican in nature, but I see a political divide across the aisle.  I see personal interest and vendettas coming to the forefront of politics rather than acting on the common good of the masses.  Healthcare, as previously stated, is the fiduciary obligation of the government.  Political action must be taken to promote the welfare of the nation as a whole.  What will happen if it doesn’t?

What will happen if the Affordable Care Act provisions expire at the end of the fiscal 2025 year is what I asked AI when conducting research for this article, here is what i found.  First and foremost, higher premiums.  If government subsidies are taken away, Americans with health insurance will see monthly premiums rise for low-to-middle class citizens.  Can we afford to sit back and allow ordinary people suffer due to political vendettas of democratically elected individuals. What we will see is the rise of uninsured people like myself, further increasing the debt of American people who must pay out of pocket for visits to a primary care doctor or emergency room visits.  

As healthcare costs rise, people may delay or avoid seeking necessary medical care due to financial burden.  This will lead to worsening health conditions in the long term which will effectively increase long term economic development of the nation and its people.  As a result, this will have long term effects on the insurance companies as a whole.  The economic burden will not be put on the insurance companies, but the people as companies will offer fewer plans, increasing out-of-pocket costs for services as the healthcare industry is strained.  

We cannot afford to cut spending on healthcare.  As we see a trend toward an aging population, we must act now to save our healthcare system from rising costs for the elderly as well as the next generation coming into the work force in the years to come.  

The purpose of the government is to protect and provide for the welfare of the people.  The provisions of the ACA must be preserved to save face and save the country from higher costs in healthcare coverage.  As of 2024, the federal government committed 1.9 trillion to healthcare in the United States.  Although this figure is large, it is a small fraction of the GDP of the United States as a whole.  The Trump Administration and republicans on Capitol Hill want to put America first, but want to cut healthcare provisions that would put Americans second to corporate profit.  I am sickened by such subversion as a republican.  I believe in personal effort and fiscal responsibility, but what is the purpose of cutting such provisions that are meant to help Americans?  What is to be gained and what is to be lost, you decide.