Health Care Insurance

The privilege of having a health care insurance has remained a pipe dream to me and my family. This situation has resulted from a number of interrelated factors. Just like several other average American families, our family income is insufficient. The lack of healthcare insurance has opened a Pandora’s Box for us because it means that the probability of going without preventive care is enhanced. In this regard, the access to adequate healthcare is either delayed or forgone, a situation which proves to be counterproductive, especially when the breadwinner has to stay out of gainful employment. At times, situations have gotten worse, and in one instance, we, as a family, happened to lose our dear mother who succumbed to heart complications this year in spring. The unfortunate development was attributable to the lack of healthcare insurance cover for her as well as the family. As a matter of fact, none of our family members is under any employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) coverage as we all happen to be working casual capacities. We are left with the option of having individual market coverage even though this is still unattainable as the family earnings are negligible (HealthCare.gov).

Since children depend on their parents or other adult members of the family for medical health insurance (McKenzie et al 2011), we, as the children, have remained without cover due to our family’s inability to secure such. Furthermore, there exist other barriers to getting a health insurance coverage. Just like several residents in our neighborhood, most members of our family loath the national healthcare system. This is especially so due to the difficult experiences they have had in the time of need. This situation, coupled with the inability to secure appropriate premiums, keeps the family out of the coverage (Turnock 2004). As such, we do not really benefit from such healthcare programs like the MediCal, Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Administration (VA), Healthy Families, CHAMPUS, and Workers Compensation since they all require one to secure paid premiums.

Last Visit to a Hospital

I have visited a health center just recently since I have been suffering from serious fever. The visit was discouraging because I had to queue, and the entire process took a substantial amount of time. The number of health care providers was below what I had expected of a health unit of the sort. My ordeal was worsened by the fact that I was uninsured. Thus, first priority was being given to those who had the privilege of being covered. Eventually, I had to be attended by an assistant, and this made me feel discouraged.

The Preexisting Conditions Menace

Indeed, my family has some preexisting conditions that have stood in the way of getting health insurance in this country. Some of my family members suffer from diabetes and asthma and, as such, the chronic medical conditions raise premiums to an unattainable level. Furthermore, some agencies argue that insurance is meant to protect people against future health challenges and not to pay for conditions that already exist. Therefore, there are those agencies that deny the healthy members of the family a chance for coverage as they deem them to be inclined to getting sick on multiple occasions in the future. We have, indeed, been turned down on multiple occasions for fear that we would be burdensome to these insurers, especially when our health deteriorates. Our only chance would be to go for products that are usually expensive, and even though they would cater for the predictable health challenges, their prices are inhibiting. I share the view of those who urge the government to remedy the situation by any means possible so that the entire citizenry can benefit from the national healthcare system.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The act was enacted to enable all Americans to have access to affordable health. It was meant to reduce the high health care costs so that even the low income earners and uninsured could benefit. The Act has promised to ease the challenges that most of us in the society face as we try to access a quality healthcare. It requires the insurers, among other things, to provide the similar valued premium to those applicants who belong to the same geographical location and are of the same age, irrespective of the preexisting medical conditions (Schneider 2006). This qualifies me and my family a healthcare insurance cover, a situation which would minimize the challenges that we go through.

Nowadays, there is an expanded Medicaid eligibility to include individuals and families with negligible levels of income. The act, however, does need some improvement so as to effectively cater for the patients’ needs. For instance, there is a need to scrap the clause which makes it mandatory for individuals who are not covered by the employer sponsored health plan, such as Medicare, Medicaid, as well as other insurance programs, to purchase and then comply with the approved private insurance policy as none compliance attracts a penalty (Quadagno 2005). Furthermore, since most of the uninsured individuals claim to perceive the cost as the main hindrance, there ought to be efforts aimed at reducing the cost of insurance premiums. Therefore, there is a need to lower the cost of insurance premiums as this would enhance coverage. Alternatively, the government ought to expand the eligibility for public insurance or provide subsidies for those who opt to go for private insurance coverage.