Healthcare in the USA

In the United States of America, there is no such thing as a health insurance ensured by the state. Most citizens are privately insured or are part of private health care programs.

In 2010, former President Obama invented the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). It said that employers with over 50 employees are committed to offer them a private insurance by the company. Those not insured by a company could look for an insurance, low income citizens got government grants to get the insurance. The Insurance agencies were further not allowed to deny people with preexisting diseases anymore.

Republicans didn’t like Obamacare because it “limits personal freedom of choice”. Right after Donald Trump announced his candidacy, he said that he was going to change the law that Obama passed. He wanted “Trumpcare”, that was cheaper and people would have had more freedom in choosing if they accepted the offer of getting an insurance; most Republicans and their voters don’t want the state to interfere with their bills they have to pay at the doctor or in a hospital. But in the end, the Supreme Court decided to leave the Obamacare the way it is.

But that does not mean that there is an insurance offered by the US Government like it is in Germany or Canada, you are always privately insured, or you join health care programs like Medicaid or Medicare, if you were in the US Army you could get an insurance at the Veterans Health Administration. There are currently about 16 million servicemen getting health care at the Veterans Health Administration. If you still serve you get free medical care.

Medicaid is a program offered by states in the USA; they decide how much it costs, who gets help and if a person is even allowed to join. It is for low-income adults, the elderly, pregnant women and people with disabilities. There are 56 different Medicaid programs – one per state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Medicaid is one of the biggest providers with about 56 million members.

Medicare is the biggest program; it is mainly for elderly people and disabled citizens. It is also for people who have problems with their organs; if they need a transplantation, they can take advantage of Medicare.

According to the 25th article of the human rights declaration created by the United States, a person has the right to get medical care and if you can’t pay for it, the government will cover the costs. But the USA hasn’t signed the declaration anyway.

In Europe the health care is free, everyone can get it, no differences between rich or poor, we don’t see it like some Americans who think that this limits their personal freedom of choice.

The most of them want to live without any government help, so that they can choose freely what they’ll do. The state doesn’t interfere with their bills they have to pay at the hospital. The Americans either have to sign the declaration of human rights or they choose to overthink the way they believe about health care, which is not likely to happen.