| As the Presidential race heats up it is | | | | its objective, which is quite simply to |
| hardly surprising to discover that | | | | win votes. However, it will not do |
| health care and in particular health | | | | anything to improve the health care |
| insurance is high on the agenda and, for | | | | system as it is simple does not address |
| tens of thousands of people, the | | | | real world issues. |
| potential for solving the problem of | | | | Health care today is big business and it |
| getting cheap insurance coverage for | | | | has little to do with providing health |
| people suffering from pre-existing | | | | care and everything to do with earning |
| conditions might make Hillary Clinton's | | | | profits for the insurers. Now you can |
| plan an attractive choice. But will it | | | | talk to the insurers all day long |
| work? | | | | however, unless the government is |
| As with the majority of proposals it | | | | willing to throw money at the problem |
| sounds great and promises to offer new | | | | then costs are not going to come down. |
| choices for those who currently have | | | | Anyone who has experience of private |
| insurance coverage and also for the | | | | medical treatment carried out abroad |
| forty-seven million Americans who are | | | | will know only too well that a large |
| currently without health insurance. In | | | | portion of the cost of providing care in |
| addition, it promises to cut your | | | | the US represents profits for the |
| monthly premiums and give you greater | | | | insurer and not the actual cost of |
| security of cover. For individuals | | | | providing care. You have only to seek |
| suffering from pre-existing conditions | | | | medical treatment in any of the |
| it promises to "end discrimination based | | | | wonderful hospitals in the Far East for |
| on pre-existing conditions or | | | | example to realize that you can get the |
| expectations of illness". | | | | highest quality of care at a mere |
| This new plan to meet America's health | | | | fraction of the cost of getting that |
| insurance requirements calls upon | | | | same treatment in the United States. And |
| insurers to work with employers and | | | | if you believe that the standard of |
| patients to provide a high standard of | | | | treatment abroad is not as good as that |
| health care at an affordable price and | | | | in the United States then think again |
| also calls on government to implement | | | | because a lot of the medical facilities |
| reforms to the health care system to | | | | throughout the Far East are staffed by |
| both raise the quality of care and | | | | highly qualified doctors and surgeons |
| decrease costs. | | | | and have some of the most modern |
| This of course is precisely what we all | | | | equipment you will find anywhere in the |
| want to see but if it were that simple | | | | world. |
| why is the health care system in such a | | | | It is all very well to talk about |
| mess today and why are costs increasing | | | | working with the insurance companies to |
| instead of declining? | | | | lower costs but the simple fact of the |
| The truth is that this is merely the | | | | matter is that it is not in their |
| latest in a growing list of proposals to | | | | interests to do so. Costs will stay at |
| reform the health care system and is | | | | their present high levels and indeed |
| nothing more than pie in the sky. In | | | | will continue to rise until the US |
| effect it is nothing more than a | | | | government decides to take over the |
| political document which is extremely | | | | responsibility for the provision of the |
| well written and beautifully presented | | | | mainstay of health care in the United |
| and will undoubtedly to some extent meet | | | | States. |