To Good Health essays

To Good Health essays Public healthcare is one of the five dimensions of policy views, falling under the category of How big should the government be? However, unlike some of the other policies that are included in this category, healthcare is relevant and important to every citizen because everyone is affected by their health everyday. It is for this reason that the federal government should provide adequate healthcare for all citizens of the United States. Although the cost of implementing and maintaining a healthcare system where all citizens are covered would be immense, the overall benefits outweigh the cost. Experts have estimated the cost of reforming healthcare would definitely be a multi-billion dollar task, and this is the foremost reason most are opposed to a nationally-run healthcare system. However, if citizens are provided with sufficient immunizations, regular check-ups, and prescriptions then their health will vastly improve, and a healthy citizen is a productive one. There would be less sick-days taken, resulting in an immediate increase in productivity, not to mention the higher morale that goes along with being healthy. According to the National Center for Health Statistics there are currently 16.8%, or 40.5 million people, under the age of 65 without health insurance. The rising cost of healthcare and prescription drugs makes it a necessity for the federal government to step in and reform the healthcare shortag e in America. Despite some critics views that healthcare reform is a states responsibility, history has shown that the federal government is the one with the financial means to support a comprehensive new program. In the 1960s and 70s Vermont, Massachusetts, and Oregon tried to implement programs to cover their citizens healthcare costs, but the programs ultimately failed because of the lack of financial resources the states had. The attempts by these three states ...