Equality and Affordability in Healthcare

31 million people, or 9.5 percent of the US population, live without health insurance. This leads to more out-of-pocket costs, which have an average of $1,152 for a family of 3 or 4, when one of them shows up at a hospital, which are paid for by the taxpayers if they are unable to afford the medical bills. In 14 states (AL, TX, SD, WY, WI, TN, MS, GA, FL, NC, SC, OK, MO, KS), Medicaid is restricted, and those unable to work (besides disabled people) are ineligible to receive benefits. This causes unemployed people to be crushed by $5,000 to $10,000 medical debt payments and never be able to break the cycle of poverty. Luckily, a new healthcare plan is here to alleviate some of the problems in our broken healthcare system. It will make it easier for low-income people to receive comprehensive care and afford health insurance. It even covers mental health and invests in developing new and innovative treatments. Overall, it will improve the care that everyone receives without having to spend all your savings.

This plan makes health insurance more accessible, as under the plan you can only spend 8.5% of their income on health insurance. Under current legislation, you could spend more than 10% on your health insurance. The reduction in cost allows more people to buy into the individual marketplace and have an opportunity to have stable and affordable healthcare. With more people insured, medical debt and the amount of unaffordable medical bills will be reduced. Also, the plan is more expansive and covers more than previous plans, such as mental health, which helps veterans who are suffering from PTSD. By defending healthcare as a right for all and treating our troops, this plan protects everyone. This inclusiveness demonstrates progress and equality in healthcare. It recognizes that everyone is entitled to basic healthcare and deserves not to have to pay obscene amounts for it.

In the states where Medicaid is restricted, life expectancies are shorter and medical bankruptcy is higher. If the government decides to shut down our lives again and put us out of jobs, it is important that we still have access to healthcare. This new plan improves our broken healthcare system and is a step in the right direction. If you want to make healthcare affordable and accessible for everyone, please consider calling or emailing your local representatives to endorse this plan, or just sharing this article with a friend or two and telling them to support Medicaid Expansion, more coverage for people with preexisting conditions, and more access to healthcare regardless of employment status.