Republicans and Democrats are emphatic about their views on President Obama's efforts to repair America's broken healthcare system. The lines are drawn straight down the middle. Democrats are for the passage of the new healthcare bill and Republicans are vehemently against it. While many Americans are scurrying around to get last minute items from the grocer for the traditional yuletide feast, lawmakers are voting in the middle of the night. Minority Leader John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, was quoted by the Associated Press in Washington, "Not even Ebenezer Scrooge himself could devise a scheme as cruel and greedy as Democrats' government takeover of healthcare."
Democraric Majority Leader Harry Reid, from Nevada, was also quoted by the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Referring to the bill, "...this brings us one step closer to making [the late] Ted Kennedy's dream a reality." This is the Senate's first Christmas Eve vote since 1895.
The Obama Administration believes that the healthcare plan will:
*Reduce long-term growth of healthcare costs for businesses and families
*Protect families from debt or bankruptcy because of healthcare costs
*Guarantee choice of doctors and healthcare plans
*Invest in prevention and wellness
*Improve patient safety and quality of care
According to the Democrats, the plan contains a few other benefits that will revamp the system over time. The healthcare system is in need of dramatic reform, and every president since Harry Truman has felt the need to make changes. However, the changes must be well planned and methodical. It will be impossible to please everyone, so we must proceed cautiously.
Consider this:
It is believed that American families spend more on healthcare than families in other industrialized nations. However, America ranked last on an international study on healthcare efficiency. (See our article from December 22, 2009 for the statistics.) It would appear that the funds utilized in the healthcare system should be appropriately managed. How is it possible to spend the most money and rank last among other industrialized nations?
The goal at Women's Issues Worldwide is not to persuade you to think one way or another, but to provide you with thought provoking statistics and allow you to process the information anyway you choose. Democrats are extremely happy that they are closer to reform that will make COBRA more affordable during time spent between jobs. According to the Democrats' plan, this bill will extend coverage to 30 million of the 47 million uninsured Americans. Many of the uninsured are women and children.
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander feels that this amendment was cooked up in secret and introduced in the middle of a snow storm. The Republican Senator from Tennesee was quoted by the New York Times by saying, "...[the Democrats] scheduled Senate to come in at midnight...scheduled a vote for 1:00 a.m., is insisting that it be passed before Christmas-because they don't want the American people to know what's in it." Jubilant Democrats and disgruntled Republicans showed their emotions openly.
In preparation for writing this article, I have searched the databases looking for clauses the healthcare bill contains to close the gap between the quality of healthcare for women and men. Disabled women receive a lower quality of care than non-disabled women, and women's care is not comparable to that of men.
On a lighter note, I am sure that many American men are catching all the sporting events they desire during this festive holiday, while the girls are burning the midnight oil making sweet potato pies and Christmas cookies. In fairness to the male chefs in our families, it is great to know that all men are not skating past the holiday chores! Many talented men are basting turkeys while tuning in to a football game. Also, a fair share of the girls enjoy watching ESPN. Happy holidays!
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