Edward Chau

Upland High School

A major part of the American political culture is for Americans to not only advance their own individualism but collaboratively help others in need. This sense of selflessness must be extended in the crippling healthcare industry in California where millions who are uninsured die. At this time, it is evident that Californians know that there is a healthcare crisis that has to be tackled and dealt with and as a result, proposals have been made. The questions to be answered are how much the government, employers, and individuals are willing to sacrifice for the sake of others and which proposal is the best and effective.
            Simply put, the healthcare system of California must be changed to provide insurance to everyone. Many people live without health insurance not because they can’t pay for it but because they are rejected or denied. Others on the other hand, truly do not have enough money to pay for the insurance. Either way, the picture is dreary when somebody gets hurt. Hospitals have to deal with ethical issues as to whether they should provide a service without compensation, and often this thinking results in a lack of wholehearted efforts to help the person. If a hospital does help someone, a bill is either paid to the person who does not make enough to pay his debts or the bill is filtered through California citizens’ taxes. The options for healthcare seem dire and slim and must be reformed.
            Out of the three proposals, the Health Care Security and Costs Reductions Act appears to be a contender. Being simplistic in nature, it calls for universal health care, which should be the responsibility of every resident, and a shared responsibility to collaborate and cover losses. The proposal seeks to eliminate the costs and bills of hospitals, which is paid for by working families’ taxes. These taxes can be cut because there will be a lesser cost if everyone is guaranteed insurance, including minors. The reform would encourage doctors to work to help others and not benefit for sole gain, defeating the capitalism of insurance companies. There would be more productivity in the workforce due to decreased numbers of homeless people which in turns advances the economy. No separate bureaucracy needs to be created to slow things down and much of the red tape is eliminated. The Health Care Security and Costs Reductions Act is the best way to advance healthcare for all and eventually improve the conditions of California as a whole.
            Every entity whether it is the individual, employer, or State should collectively be responsible for allocating funds for health care coverage because every one is sitting in the same boat. The individual helps by giving some of their state taxes to health care, while the employer should, depending on the size of the corporation and the number of employees, offer some discounted alternative health insurance coverage for their employees. Alongside the individual and employer, the State can run programs to help raise funds and awareness through legislation and by word-of-mouth; the legislation would include provisions to eliminate monopolistic practices by health insurance companies which would then be required to reduce their premiums. All parties, in the end, receive the incentive of being part of a large social network that wants a healthy community.
            With the profound proposals that have been researched, I realized that all of them shared the ideal or hope for some universal health care coverage because this would logically and reasonably reduce costs for everyone by allowing the population to share the burden. To accomplish this goal, legislation must be enacted with provisions that require insurance companies to provide coverage to all persons of age and of all medical conditions and reduce the high competitive premiums on the individual market. By allowing every citizen a guarantee of insurance, taxes would decrease for those families currently paying for the uninsured, insurance companies would have more business, and hospitals could work the best they can without thinking monetarily. Despite the aspirations, the system is not flawless but the first steps towards reform must be taken.
            With the changing economy and unless California wants more homeless in the streets, it is now ever more pertinent to deal with health care for all. Universal health care is the best option of today and this is best embodied in the Governor’s Health Care Reform Plan. Americans need to pull through this time through shared responsibility and hope that current efforts will lead to future contentment with the system.