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Interest groups hinder medical reform
By Wang Di |
April 16, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
YES, we did. Finally, US President Obama uttered these words. The passage of health care reform earned him a place of honor in US history.
US Presidents from Teddy Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton had tried and failed to provide a national insurance to Americans.
Why was it so difficult for the US, one of the most economically advanced countries, to have a health care plan that basically covers everyone and brings down costs of Medicare?
The answers are to be found in powerful interest groups and a free-market ideology. Obama's health care plan was strongly opposed by insurance companies, which pick up younger and healthier Americans to cover while denying coverage to older, potentially ailing and sick and people who have medical history. Obama's plan will end health insurers' lucrative practices.
Drug firms were opposed to Obamas' reform. They try to develop drugs that will help only a small subset of patients because these drugs are expensive.
A free-market ideology also hindered Obama's reform. Most Americans believe that a market should not be regulated by government. But these people ignored the fact that the employer-based insurance is all guaranteed by the government.
Government regulation is not inherently bad and a free market is not inherently good. The US has paid a price by relying too much on cold-blooded capitalists and Obama has done the right thing to rein them in.
US Presidents from Teddy Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton had tried and failed to provide a national insurance to Americans.
Why was it so difficult for the US, one of the most economically advanced countries, to have a health care plan that basically covers everyone and brings down costs of Medicare?
The answers are to be found in powerful interest groups and a free-market ideology. Obama's health care plan was strongly opposed by insurance companies, which pick up younger and healthier Americans to cover while denying coverage to older, potentially ailing and sick and people who have medical history. Obama's plan will end health insurers' lucrative practices.
Drug firms were opposed to Obamas' reform. They try to develop drugs that will help only a small subset of patients because these drugs are expensive.
A free-market ideology also hindered Obama's reform. Most Americans believe that a market should not be regulated by government. But these people ignored the fact that the employer-based insurance is all guaranteed by the government.
Government regulation is not inherently bad and a free market is not inherently good. The US has paid a price by relying too much on cold-blooded capitalists and Obama has done the right thing to rein them in.
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