Health care reform is clearly a big issue in today's society. The issue must be addressed because there are many people without the ability to pay for to the proper care they need. My interest in this topic stems from my medical history and the medical mission work I have done in third world countries. I have had three major surgeries to remove a tumor near my brain. Without health insurance, my parents would not have been able to afford the surgeries that I needed. I feel so fortunate for the health insurance that allowed for the safe and effective procedures I needed. Every summer I go to the Dominican Republic with a few doctors from my town and volunteers from my church. While there, we provide the people in this impoverished country with the medical attention that they need. No one there has access to good health insurance. It broke my heart to see thousands of people with no access to proper health care. They live in a third world country and cannot get even adequate health care. This made me want to learn more about our health care system in America and compare it to the health care system in third world countries like the Dominican Republic. I feel so passionate about the work I do there and I love the two weeks I spend there every summer. This has pushed me to want to pursue a career as a nurse.
With the passing of Obama's health care reform bill in 2009, we have begun to see some new reforms take place. Just a few of these reforms include: all patients under ninteen with pre-existing conditions must be covered, all health insurance plans must cover certain preventive care services with no additional charge to the patients, and all plans will have to cover dependents through the age of 26.
Democrats and Republicans have very different views on many aspects of the new health care bill. I will cover the views of both Democrats and Republicans and argue my opinion on the current health care reforms.