Abby Ringiewicz, Fall 2009
With the recent changes and proposals affecting healthcare today, it can become somewhat overwhelming. While some may feel that they are being robbed of their comfortable healthcare plan, others cannot wait for a sufficient means of healthcare. The current voters of today, as well as the future voters, have differing priorities when deciding what they would like out of healthcare and the changes that are being made today. Constraints, whether positive or negative, affect each of the voting groups: each group with different impacting concerns. Such constraints must be considered, and in such a large-scale issue as healthcare, it is crucial to create agreeable equality for all of the demographic groups such as the young, the elderly, those in the corporate world and those still in school.
Elders
As the largest demographic group, consisting of retired baby boomers, the elderly have a large portion of the vote for healthcare reform. For elders, voters 65 and older, Medicare is the largest concern. Fear of losing Medicare in their later years has elderly people worrying about future changes within healthcare. While elders are less likely to vote for change after years of being in the same situation, benefits of healthcare reform may affect them more so than other groups. A major concern of theirs is with the prices of prescriptions and the continuous rise in costs. Prescription drugs have been going up in price for years, costing elders large sums of money from out of pocket. Under most circumstances, Medicare does not cover any drug prescription costs, leaving elders to cough up the money for their various necessary prescriptions each month. Changes in healthcare may solve this expensive difficulty, perhaps covering certain prescriptions though a healthcare option or lowering prices on certain meds (Okunade). Another aspect for elders: the people grouped in this 65 plus age group have other people to be concerned about; their families. With both working children and growing grandchildren, elders take into consideration the health and safety of their loved ones. With a separate list of potential health issues than themselves, their children and grandchildren may need more sufficient healthcare and health plans and the elderly are willing to support that.
Businesses
Businesses, both large and small, benefit and suffer from healthcare. Expensive coverage plans mean paying a lot for workers, however not buying sufficient plans loses employees. Keeping workers happy and healthy is a priority of businesses and increased prices for healthcare plans make that somewhat challenging. In large businesses especially, the health and productivity of workers is essential. Large business owners have the responsibility of choosing appropriate healthcare coverage for their employees. In most cases, business owners understand and take into account the importance of quality healthcare coverage for their workers, however it costs them a large fee in order to keep the coverage sufficient and their employees content.
For small businesses, finding affordable and reliable private insurance can also be a challenge. While there are fewer employees, there is also less money with which to squander. Small business owners are having a harder time being recognized within this healthcare crisis, while their revenues are crashing due to high healthcare plans. According to a 2007 survey, only 47% of small businesses provide health insurance for their employees (Tahmincioglu). Small businesses are at risk of either closing due to lack of workers, or due to overspending on healthcare. Better healthcare within smaller businesses improves work efficiency and maintains a steady work pace.
Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are also a vital audience within the healthcare debate. In the eyes of most people, the insurance companies are the cause of the crisis: raising their prices for even the most inadequate of health plans, and offering little leeway for those with preexisting conditions. While this may be true, insurance companies, like everyone else, will be affected greatly with any changes. Insurance companies thrive on their high prices, which businesses must pay in order to provide for their employees. Insurance companies fear that having government-run insurance plans will severely cut their number of sales, leaving them with fewer clients. While lowering their costs may keep their customers, it will also weaken their profits. What many fail to recognize is that health insurance companies also require their incoming profits to keep their businesses running. While prices are high, insurance companies are large businesses in themselves and have sufficient costs of their own. Insurance companies are also very particular when it comes to insuring people with preexisting conditions, a practice that seems anything but fair. The insurance companies have great fear in the odds of losing when insuring someone with a much higher risk of health problems, which will in turn lose them money as well.
College students
As a large percent of the national voters and the future of this country, college students are a significant factor in healthcare options. Although students are either under their parent’s coverage or their school’s provided coverage during their time at school, they need to think ahead to their situation upon leaving college. Most college graduates leave college without enough money for sufficient or any type of private healthcare coverage and no job to walk into. Money is a main concern of college students and college student graduates, and expensive healthcare is not a priority next to rent payments and food. As most young people are in good health, I think that they overlook the possibilities of misfortune when it comes to their health. As the future workers of our country, affordable healthcare is necessary for college students and graduates. The healthier these young people are the more hard-working and valuable they will become to their employers.
Much like college students and graduates, young adults outside of school make-up our voting population. In most cases, struggling for sufficient means of income, young people lose sight of the importance of adequate healthcare and health insurance while in the prime of their lives. In the hopes of having a job which provides health coverage, most young people might depend on future employment with coverage rather than spend the extra money now. With the amount of activities that young adults take part in, injuries are an inevitable outcome. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injuries in adults, ages 25-44, made up 86% of the total lifetime health costs in 2000 (“Economic Cost of Injuries Among Adults”). High prices leave adults uninsured, however accidental injuries leave them paying out of pocket for the rest of their lives.
Healthcare will always be a bothersome element of our country’s efforts. Under one set of guidelines, it seems impossible to please all of the various parties of our country. With efforts to be made and ideas to be considered, the healthcare of the United States can be brought back to a stable pace once again. Considering each aspect of our country’s voting groups, we need to form a plan that will meet the needs of all of our citizens while keeping our businesses and government running properly as well.
Works Cited
Okunade, Albert. “High drug prices, the U.S. elderly, and drug expenditure control policies. – Entrepreneur.com.” Entrepreneur. Gale Group, Fall 2002. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/96810451.html>.
Tahmincioglu, Eve. “Small businesses want, fear health reform – Small business- msnbc.com.” Msnbc. 16 Sept. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32766627/ns/business-small_business/>.
“Economic Cost of Injuries Among Adults – Facts – NCIPC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 9 July 2007. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/CostBook/Cost_of_Injury-Adults.htm>.