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Chapter Two

The American healthcare system is highly discriminatory, especially to people who cannot afford to pay for medical insurance. The poor and low-income earners struggle with medical bills when they do not have insurance because of the high costs of treatment and medical services. A universal healthcare system in the country would ensure that all people get access to affordable and quality care, and would also regulate the healthcare industry players. However, some argue that it would be too expensive and lead to an increase in government spending on healthcare.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 was an improvement to healthcare because it offered roughly 95% of all Americans access to healthcare. Every person was required to have some kind of insurance according to the provisions of the Act. The Act focused more on preventive care that would lead to reduced spending on healthcare costs in the long run. One of the favourable provisions of the Act was that almost all people would be covered as it compelled employers to provide healthcare benefits to their workers, and also required every person to purchase insurance based on their ability. The cost of insurance took into account factors such as the person’s income, size of their family and their plan. The Act also prevented insurers from refusing coverage based on pre-existing conditions, especially children. On the negative side, the Act came with penalties for those who did not seek medical insurance, and this proved to be too punitive for people who might have had various challenges in getting medical insurance.