No one wants to get sick. But it happens. If you have a child with a chronic illness you probably visit the doctor office more than you ever imagined possible. As a parent you try to do everything humanly possible to keep your child healthy, but if you have a child with chronic illness your child might end up visiting the ER or being admitted in the hospital.
As a mother of a special needs child, I worry about the outcome of the election in November. Will my child be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition? At the RNC the VP candidate Sarah Palin, mother of 4-month-old Trig, born with Down syndrome, promised voters she has a place in her heart for all special needs children, yet with the McCain health care plan too many special needs children with chronic illness will fall between the cracks.
It's just a piece of plastic, but the health insurance card you carry in your wallet can mean the difference between getting adequate health care for your family and getting denied appropriate health care. That's why the upcoming election is vital.
Here's my concern: If you vote for McCain, let's hope your family stays healthy or only gets "moderately" sick. But good luck if you or your children have a pre-existing condition like a chronic illness, cancer or severe food allergies because then you risk getting denied coverage. If you vote for McCain, then you better be rich enough to afford top-notch private health insurance.
McCain's solution to the health care crisis: tax rebates. Wow! Talk about blind faith in the free market. His plan might work for some of us, but what happens to the poorest people who won't benefit from McCain's $5000 family tax rebate because they don't pay $5000 in taxes? Will the cost of health insurance decrease if we shop for our own insurance? No guarantees. Since administrative costs can dramatically increase on the open market, private health insurance could end up being more expensive and less generous according to the WSJ.com.
It's ironic that under McCain's health plan, McCain himself would not be covered. Under his plan insurance companies do not have to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions like melanoma and breast cancer.
McCain wants more competition between private health insurers. He wants to bring down the cost of health care by having individuals/families shop for their own insurance. McCain would give direct refundable tax credits to individuals to offset the cost of buying private insurance. The "human price" of McCain's health care cost cutting will be that some people with pre-existing conditions like cancer will be denied insurance by private insurance companies. Corporations will be less likely to offer health insurance benefits to employees because McCain's plan would eliminate the current tax exclusion for health care benefits. The McCain campaign has mentioned a plan that would require individual states develop plans to help those with pre-existing conditions, but I haven't seen the details on this program. And will it really work? Makes me wonder if under his plan, those under-insured people will then be forced to move just to find the best state health care for their family's health issues. Let's hope McCain develops a safety net for those with pre-existing conditions.
Obama would increase federal regulations on health care while still giving consumers more options like private insurance. His plan would set up a new national health plan to cover everyone so no one would fall between the cracks. To help pay for this national program he would tax large corporations that do not provide health insurance. Obama's plan would include private insurance plans with increased federal regulation to ensure coverage to everyone, at consistent prices and ensure even those with pre-existing conditions get coverage. Private insurance plans under Obama's plan would feel the pressure to offer the same generous benefits as the government-run plan. The cons? This would lead to higher premiums for private insurance. How would the uninsured fare under Obama's plan? Much better. Sometimes children--the most vulnerable--are the ones who lack appropriate health care because under the current plans they are not insured. By mandating health coverage for all children, Obama's health plan would improve the health care of these children. Obama's plan is expected to reduce the number of unisured people by 18 million in the first year according to the Tax Policy Center.
Elizabeth Edwards forcefully denounced the McCain health care proposal during the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing last week.
"Sen. McCain and I have something in common, and that is neither one of us would be insured under his health care plan...If you're 55 with cancer...good luck to you," said Elizabeth Edwards during the hearing according to The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report.
Not sure if Obama solves all my health care concerns, but I'll keep listening to what Elizabeth Edwards has to say. Hope the candidates are listening too.
--Posted by Chris at Momathon Blog. A version of the post also appears in my blog Political Hotdish.)