Our Health

Last week many of the new health care provisions created under the Obama administration took effect as republicans continue to pledge a reversal of the health care bill. What is it about the new law that has conservatives so furious? Apparently tax breaks for the wealthy is significantly more important than basic medical care for all U.S. citizens. How is it that we are the only democracy in the world that will allow its citizens to go bankrupt over medical bills. As if draining hard earned retirement savings wasn’t enough.

      The negative connotation of a pre-existing condition implies an intruder on our health care system intent on raising costs for everyone. Who are these low income minorities who have the gall to walk into Johns Hopkins and ask for medical treatment? Many are actually small business owners, or anyone seeking out insurance for a number of reasons. They are elderly and the children of parents.

   

     What does a pre-existing medical condition mean to you? Probably nothing if you are a typical healthy college student. What it means to people with a pre-existing condition or illness is not getting adequate health care coverage. Grace periods of 6 to eighteen months are imposed before insurance will kick in. In the mean time you are paying for insurance along with your medical bills. In some cases the insurance premiums are too high to be affordable, about the same cost as paying for a mortgage on a second home. And, some of these conditions are easily treatable like high blood pressure or diabetes.

     One of the new provisions that are now in effect makes it unlawful for insurance companies to deny coverage to children 19 and under for pre-existing conditions and premiums cannot escalate. This is an improved condition. For the rest of the adult population we will have to wait until 2014 for this change.

     Another good change allows college students to stay on their parent’s health plan until they can obtain their own coverage or are 26. This is just the beginning of reasonable health care. The cost for health care has been escalating for decades and will continue no matter what. We might as well put in place policies that benefit the majority.

What I’m curious to see is how the opposition will try and take this reform away from America citizens while conning the voters into approving tax relief for the wealthy.


-Julie Post