Moreover, we do not need to reorganize the entire health care system in order to solve this problem. Ensuring that our neighbors and fellow Americans have access to health care does not remove the profit motive from our system, it does not reduce the ability of our health care providers, drug companies to compete. Solution

We need to draft legislation to provide a health care coverage option for all Americans. This legislation will provide for government-run health care insurance for the entire country. The insurance industry and free market is failing the American people. Children should not be denied medical care because they were born to poor families. A government-run insurance option will allow for the same standard of care, but it will also allow the government to build in some cost controls. The agency in charge will not deny coverage to anybody. The legislation will simply replace the insurance companies with a government agency.

The advantages of such a solution are that it would provide health care for all Americans, not just those who can afford it. This will strengthen our economy, by making more Americans healthier, putting them back into the workforce. Corporations will pay a higher tax in order to help finance the system, but they will not need to offer coverage to their employees, which is one of the most significant human resources costs and competitive disadvantages faced by U.S. firms.

It is true that some may try to abuse the system, and that we may see reduced profits for pharmaceutical companies. However, drug companies already know how to make money in socialized medical systems, they will continue to do so in the U.S. As well. Most Americans are good, honest people. If some do abuse the system, most will not. It is better to meet the needs of good, honest Americans than to condemn them to shorter, less healthy lives simply to avoid giving benefit to a few abusers.

Call to Action

There is substantial resistance to change in the health care system. Some of this is understandable but many of the objections are irrational, not fact-based....

It is important that we, as a people, become educated on the issue. Learn the facts, not the emotional appeals. It is only when Americans understand how much they are being ripped off by the current system that the momentum will exist to make changes. Put yourself in the shoes of someone without insurance, and then imagine being diagnosed with a dread disease. Think about dying young simply because you could not afford insurance. The only way we can change is to educate ourselves and discuss the issue openly and honestly. When you have the facts, make sure that your representative in Washington knows how you feel. Act in the best interests of all Americans.
Works Cited:

Gladwell, Malcolm. (2005). The Moral Hazard Myth. The New Yorker. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/08/29/050829fa_fact

DeNoon, Daniel J. (2008). 45.7 Million in U.S. lack Health Insurance. WebMD. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.webmd.com/medicare/news/20080826/45-point-7-million-in-us-lack-health-insurance

Seabrook, Andrea & Overby, Peter. (2009). Drug Firms Pour $40 million into Health Care Debate. NPR. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106899074&ps=cprs

No author. (2009). Health Care Bill Seems to be Headed for Holiday. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.freep.com/article/20090729/NEWS15/907290335/Health-care-bill-seems-to-be-headed-for-a-holiday

Spencer, Christina. (2009). Canada Ranks Second in Drug Spending. Sun Media. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1649084

Lawand, Christina & Hollingsworth, Leona. (2007). Health care Spending to reach $160 billion this year. Canadian Institute for Health Information. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_13nov2007_e

Pawlenty, Tim. (2009). Current Health Care Plan not Reform, Builds upon Broken System. Fox News. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,535243,00.html