There is so little contradiction that government should be engaged in one way or another in creating a solution that gives Americans in need of medical assistance the right to life, liberty and the continued pursuit of happiness. The disagreements come in recognizing the failure of government to properly handle other socialized systems, the amount of government oversight that should be imposed, and the coverage that should be part of any comprehensive national healthcare solution.
During his campaign, President Obama argued for health care reform by saying that health care is a right. Steinhauer, J. (2008, October 8). Road to November: Where he first got going, cheering Obama on. The New York Times, p. A18. The framework for reforming health care that President Obama outlined during his campaign includes three primary elements: providing affordable health insurance for all Americans, lowering health care costs, and promoting public health. Health Care. Retrieved June, 2010 from http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/. While all three elements are essential in reforming America’s health care system to provide higher quality care at lower cost, providing health insurance for all Americans should be prioritized given the effect the current economic crisis has on the number of uninsured Americans. Although this element of President Obama’s framework should be prioritized, it will also be the most challenging to implement, since universal health care coverage represents a dramatic shift from current health care policy and will require substantial increases in government spending.
Providing health insurance for all Americans should be President Obama’s priority in the current economic crisis because many Americans will lose their private health insurance coverage as
References: (2010). The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/?wpsrc=AG0001326&keyword=healthcare%20reform%20bill&cre=5034314590&g=1&s_kwcid=TC|10356|healthcare%20reform%20bill||S||5034314590 (2010). The Christian Monitor. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0322/Health-care-reform-bill-101-what-the-bill-means-to-you (2010).