Obama's Healthcare Reform - Yes or No?

The debate over the proposed healthcare reform has been all the buzz for the news media recently and I found myself very unclear of the facts and figures. So, I set out on a mission to try to enlighten myself a bit on the President's proposals. I suppose I was in search of a clear cut plan of action. However, what I found proved to hold true to the nature of legislation - very general and lacking in detail. My primary interest was in the points that will effect me. I fall into the category of those who have health insurance as my husband and I are both employed by our county's local government. One of the points in the President's proposal for those who are insured is to limit the amount of out of pocket expense when the insured becomes ill. The insurance program our employer provides is excellent for the big-ticket medical conditions like major surgery. However, the policy carries a $1500 deductible and a $2000 out of pocket maximum. Because my husband and I both have the same employer, we each have individual coverage so that each of us have to meet these limits. We don't qualify for the maximum family expenditures. We each made a visit to the emergency room last year and incurred an out of pocket expense of more than $1000 each. Therefore, I do find this point of the proposal attractive. The second item of interest, which I found in his plan, was in cutting out extra charges for preventive care screenings and exams such as mammograms, diabetes tests and colon cancer screenings. My physician has recommended such for the past two years, however, the one exam will assess me with a charge of $1500. So I have elected not to pursue those services. Thus, a second point of the proposal I find attractive. The president makes it clear that anyone who has health inurance with which they are pleased may keep it. So, how do I know if what he offers will actually be more beneficial than my present coverage? As a provision for those who are uninsured, the proposed plan will provide a means for them to be able to afford health care choices. The increase in the number of Americans seeking health care will also increase the need for healthcare providers. In the July/August 2009 Health Affairs publication, authorities predict a shortage of registerd nurses in the US to rise to 260,000 by 2025. As reported by http://www.reuters.com President Obama expressed alarm over the idea that the US may need to import trained foreign nurses because so many US nursing jobs are vacant. So is the solution to outsource our healthcare providers?? I am very sceptical of Mr. Obama's claim that his proposal will not add to the deficit and will be paid for up front. He claims the plan will be paid for by health system savings and revenue generated by imposing fees on insurance companies for selling expensive plans. I question how many of the current insurance agencies will be able to survive under his proposed plans. Will this not add to the number of companies already going down in this bad economy?? I find my quest for answers in regards to the healthcare reform proposal only left me with more questions!!