Advocating for health insurance reform and expanded coverage
Health care insurance is important at such a time when the cost of living is increasing. In this memo, I have provided various reasons as to why you, as the congressional representative must facilitate the passing of the bill by passing supporting its passage. The reforms of the bill will assist in regulating the health insurance industry. Even with its limitations, the bill is a great step in controlling funds and implementing them into the health care system
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Letter to a Congressional Representative
Congressional Representative
Support for health care bill
I am writing to request for your support in the health insurance bill. As you know, a proper health is vital and that we cannot enjoy wealth and other luxuries if we are not healthy. However, diseases like Influenza cough and other serious illness are unavoidable in our daily life. In addition, lifestyle changes have caused many individuals to suffer from illnesses like cancer, stroke, and heart attack. For those reasons, I advocate that the government should give health insurance to its citizens. The health insurance will insure against the risk of incurring health expenses (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003). This happens by first estimating the risk of health care among individuals. An insurer can then develop a routine finance structure such as payroll tax or a monthly premium. I believe the implementation of a Health Insurance Bill will reform the health care industry by expanding insurance companies and creating an insurance exchange pool. This exchange pool will provide affordable insurance to low and middle income earners. Therefore, I am requesting you to support the Health Insurance Bill that will regulate the insurance industry and cover as many people as possible (Green & Rowell, 2006).
Pros and Cons of the bill
There are numerous advantages of implementing the Health Insurance Bill. The first advantage is the prevention of diseases through doctor recommended lifestyle changes and early detection. This preventative measure will ensure that citizens are healthy besides saving money on the expenses needed to treat various diseases. In most cases, the less privileged people are unable to visit health care centers for regular pre-emptive visits. This results in more sickness and increased health care costs. The health industry will in turn incur massive losses from treating individuals without the collection of payment (Boychuk, 2008).
Secondly, the provision of health insurance will make individuals have some peace of mind. In case of a nagging problem, the individual can go to the doctor without the out-of-pocket expense. They can be checked even if it leads to diagnostic testing. If they discover that the ailment is not serious, the burden is lifted off their shoulders. Individuals without health care insurance may have symptoms persisting for years or months without knowing the cause. Such may make an individual to worry about potential health problems (Green & Rowell, 2006).
Thirdly, its adoption of the bill will result in less wastage of time. Sick people with insurance covers can take a sick-day leave, visit a doctor, and receive treatment as fast as possible. This is an advantage to the individual and his employers because of the easy and quick access to medical attention (Ross & Ross, 2013). It also limits the possibility of lost time on the job. Besides, it will ensure that maternity care is provided even before and after the baby is born. The bill will also facilitate the provision of inpatient care and treatments (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003).
The Health Insurance Bill will also cater for substance use disorders and mental health services. It will also entail the prescription of drugs. This includes counseling, psychotherapy, and behavioral health treatment. Adoption of the bill will ensure that services are provided to help individuals recover when injured or have chronic conditions/disability. Another advantage is that it will ensure that patients are treated in the infirmary for inpatient care (Chaikind, 2004).
It also entails pediatric services. These services include vision care and dental care for kids. The Bill will also ensure that medical lab tests and trips to the emergency room for patients are available besides catering for outpatient care. The insurance policy on health will also cover preventative services like counseling, vaccines, and screenings to keep individuals healthy. This will care and manage chronic diseases like cancer when detected on time (Boychuk, 2008).
However, a number of shortcomings will be associated with the implementation of the Health Insurance Bill. First, it costs a lot of money through monthly premiums that an individual will have paid. Besides, this does not imply that constantly rising premiums will lead to higher coverage. Various insurance companies are limiting the amount of care covered and strictly limiting it to those signing for new policies (Ross & Ross, 2013).
Secondly, the Health Insurance Bill contains complicated rules and regulations. Many policies will require referrals instead of patients going straight to see a specialist. The health insurance may exclude certain prescriptions from coverage and may refuse to pay for some elective procedures that may not be stipulated in the cover. Thirdly, the insured in most cases will be unable to choose the hospitals to visit or which doctor to see. Some policies may offer a wide range of choices while others do not give freedom to the patients (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003).
Request for support
For a very long time, I believe that individuals have been discouraged from accessing proper care because of the increasing high cost of insurance. The health care sector continues to make profits at the expense of the patients. The Health Insurance Bill will help reform the health care sector and curb the disparities that are currently being experienced. The implementation of this Bill will provide a striking a balance between profit making health care system and a system that puts the patient's need first. The focus is to provide quality and affordable health care. The reforms of the bill will assist in regulating the health insurance industry. Even with its limitations, the bill is a great step in controlling funds and implementing them into the health care system. I request you to support the bill. I believe this will go a long way in curbing the cost of insurance, increasing the quality of health, and expanding patient protection (Chaikind, 2004).
Create your account
- Boychuk, G. W. (2008). National Health Insurance in the United States and Canada Race, Territory, and the Roots of Difference.. Washington: Georgetown University Press.
- Chaikind, H. R. (2004). The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): overview and analyses. New York: Novinka Books.
- Green, M. A., & Rowell, J. A. (2006). Understanding health insurance: a guide to billing and reimbursement (8th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.
- Hitchcock, J. E., Schubert, P. E., & Thomas, S. A. (2003). Community health nursing: caring in action (2nd ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
- Laham, N. (2004). A lost cause: Bill Clinton's campaign for national health insurance. Westport, Conn.: Praeger.
- Ross, B. M., & Ross, B. M. (2013). Beating Obamacare: your handbook for surviving the new health care law. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub..
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