Healing Health Care :: essays research papers

Healing Health CareLevi Pulkkinen Op-Ed Paper March 10, 1997As Grant nears the end of his forty-fifth year old age begins to shedits sinister light over every aspect of his life. He has already watch four ofhis teeth rot out because, although he works nearly 60 hours a week, hecannot afford basic health care. As he enters the twilight years of his life,earlier than anyone should, he is faced with failing health and no way to paythe doctor bills. The fact that someone who has worked all their life may not beable to obtain adequate medical and dental care because of their station in lifegoes against all the ideals that have made America great.As we enter into the twenty-first century we fascinate new cures andtreatments springing into our clinics and homes at an unprecedented rate. Only afool would argue that these advances are not helping millions, but the costs native with these new remedies make them inaccessible to umpteen Americans whowould benefit greatly from them. From 19 71 to 1991 the price of health relatedgoods and services climbed 30 percent faster that of other goods, placing farout of the financial reach of the workings class of this nation. It is time toconsider a true national health-care system, in order to insure that everyone,not just the wealthy, can enjoy good health. As it stands, America is the onlycivilized country where access to basic health care depends on where one worksand how much one is paid. For many sound insured people there is debate about ournations stance on the separation between the individual and the state, but thefact of the matted is that if our friend Grant had been born five hundred milesto the North he would still have his teeth and a much brighter future.In Canada, where they have had a national health insurance since 1967, acitizen is guaranteed treatment for any illness that may afflict him or her. Inaddition to keeping their people heather, and as a result happier, the Canadiansystem has kept costs minimal while research and development has continued atthe same, if not faster, pace that we see here. Around the globe we can see thecorrelation between national health care systems and better quality of treatment.In Japan, they have countered the medical problems inherent with a crowdedsociety through national health insurance, and as a result enjoy a extremelyhigh quality of living. eve here we have harnessed some of the power of