San Antonio College students' network for the 2008 election
What Really Matters?
How Healthy are You?
With the 2008 election just around the corner, we should stop and think before we vote. There are various issues to be concerned with, some of which hold more importance to voters than others. However, as a voter you should stop and ask yourself, “What really matters?” Every one has there own experiences and opinion, which helps influence there answer to the question. I recently asked this question to Mrs. Veronica Martin. She is a 39 year old, lower middle class, working wife and mother of two. She is of Hispanic ethnicity and comes from a large family. She supports herself, her husband and two children working for a small company of approximately twenty-one employees. She has been with this company for well over twenty years. She started at the age of 19 after her first child was born. All these factors in her life helped influence her answer when I asked, “What really matters?”
Mrs. Martin believes “what really matters” is the availability and affordability of health care for all Americans. After sitting down with her through a very extensive and personal interview I came to the conclusion that this seemed to be the most prominent issue for her and her family.
In the past when Clinton was in office Mrs. Martin felt most comfortable and secure with the well being of herself and her family. She felt she was protected with Clinton’s health plan, CHIP. “Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage to children in families with incomes too high to be eligible for Medicaid but too low to afford private health care coverage.” This is exactly where Mrs. Martin and her family fell financially. With this health care plan in position she was able to afford health care for both her children. She said, “I would have gone through the insurance of my company the previous years, but it was just too expensive.” Also beneficial to Mrs. Martin at the time of Clinton’s term he “also wanted to accelerate enrollment of uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP, and help older Americans, workers in small businesses.” With all these solutions she felt that more health care options were made available and she was highly satisfied with her government.
However, things didn’t stay simple for long. With the current president, George W. Bush in office, her securities changed for the worst. “The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.” This act made it very difficult for Mrs. Martin to cover her children. With the new criteria she was no longer covered through the CHIP program, and her insurance with her employer was yet still too pricey. Economic classes were now pushed to the next level.
With the new health care program in place small businesses were affected as well. Working for a small business and having a husband who was at the time self-employed didn’t help her existing situation. Not only was she concerned but, “state officials and consumer advocates express alarm. They say Mr. Bush's proposal would destabilize the insurance market, leading to higher premiums for small businesses that do not join association health plans.” With all seeming to being going down hill her situation progressed for the worst. While no longer being eligible for CHIP and not being financially stable enough to cover her family through her company or her husband’s personal business she felt she was, “damned if she did or damned if she didn’t.” And shortly after, this statement was proven to be true. Her husband developed pancreatitis and was hospitalized for two weeks. While there they also found various other medical complications, such as high sugar, fluid in the heart, spots on the lungs and possibly a case of TB (tuberculosis). Being uninsured was a major set back for her family. Not only did she not have insurance, but she was accumulating a substantial amount of medical bills, and had to pay for them solely on her own due to the fact that her husband was unable to work.
Due to all these difficulties and obstacles thrown in her way I understood why health care was her main concern. She has been through both the good and bad times of her life, and both the secure and struggled times of health care concerning her family. After sitting down and listening to her story I asked her, “If you could what would you do to help the situation.” She stated that she would make health care available and affordable to all elders over the age of fifty and to all dependents. I then asked how she would go about to make it fair and affordable to everyone. She said that she would base the affordability on a standard percent rate of yearly gross income per family or individual. This may seem unfair to those who make more money, but she said that she would take into consideration other factors such as dependents into consideration. She said while attempting to make it fair and equal she would try and set reasonable standards and criteria for all health care providers and insurance companies to ensure the safety of the Americans. She also said, “I’m not certain to how I would create and determine the standards, but I would do extensive research and have outside help before I made any drastic decisions. I would try and enforce a secure health plan like in the past with CHIP; it seemed to be popular and productive with majority of the people.”
With life, family, and other struggles Mrs. Martin hopes with the upcoming President a new available and affordable health care program is developed. Having experienced both a secure life while having Clinton in office, and a difficult struggle with the changes Bush recently made, she hopes to gain her sense of protection again. She concluded with this statement, “I am tired of playing Russian roulette with my health and the health of my family.” So if you can sympathize with her situation then maybe when you vote you while take into consideration how much “health care really matters.”
With the 2008 election just around the corner, we should stop and think before we vote. There are various issues to be concerned with, some of which hold more importance to voters than others. However, as a voter you should stop and ask yourself, “What really matters?” Every one has there own experiences and opinion, which helps influence there answer to the question. I recently asked this question to Mrs. Veronica Martin. She is a 39 year old, lower middle class, working wife and mother of two. She is of Hispanic ethnicity and comes from a large family. She supports herself, her husband and two children working for a small company of approximately twenty-one employees. She has been with this company for well over twenty years. She started at the age of 19 after her first child was born. All these factors in her life helped influence her answer when I asked, “What really matters?”
Mrs. Martin believes “what really matters” is the availability and affordability of health care for all Americans. After sitting down with her through a very extensive and personal interview I came to the conclusion that this seemed to be the most prominent issue for her and her family.
In the past when Clinton was in office Mrs. Martin felt most comfortable and secure with the well being of herself and her family. She felt she was protected with Clinton’s health plan, CHIP. “Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage to children in families with incomes too high to be eligible for Medicaid but too low to afford private health care coverage.” This is exactly where Mrs. Martin and her family fell financially. With this health care plan in position she was able to afford health care for both her children. She said, “I would have gone through the insurance of my company the previous years, but it was just too expensive.” Also beneficial to Mrs. Martin at the time of Clinton’s term he “also wanted to accelerate enrollment of uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP, and help older Americans, workers in small businesses.” With all these solutions she felt that more health care options were made available and she was highly satisfied with her government.
However, things didn’t stay simple for long. With the current president, George W. Bush in office, her securities changed for the worst. “The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.” This act made it very difficult for Mrs. Martin to cover her children. With the new criteria she was no longer covered through the CHIP program, and her insurance with her employer was yet still too pricey. Economic classes were now pushed to the next level.
With the new health care program in place small businesses were affected as well. Working for a small business and having a husband who was at the time self-employed didn’t help her existing situation. Not only was she concerned but, “state officials and consumer advocates express alarm. They say Mr. Bush's proposal would destabilize the insurance market, leading to higher premiums for small businesses that do not join association health plans.” With all seeming to being going down hill her situation progressed for the worst. While no longer being eligible for CHIP and not being financially stable enough to cover her family through her company or her husband’s personal business she felt she was, “damned if she did or damned if she didn’t.” And shortly after, this statement was proven to be true. Her husband developed pancreatitis and was hospitalized for two weeks. While there they also found various other medical complications, such as high sugar, fluid in the heart, spots on the lungs and possibly a case of TB (tuberculosis). Being uninsured was a major set back for her family. Not only did she not have insurance, but she was accumulating a substantial amount of medical bills, and had to pay for them solely on her own due to the fact that her husband was unable to work.
Due to all these difficulties and obstacles thrown in her way I understood why health care was her main concern. She has been through both the good and bad times of her life, and both the secure and struggled times of health care concerning her family. After sitting down and listening to her story I asked her, “If you could what would you do to help the situation.” She stated that she would make health care available and affordable to all elders over the age of fifty and to all dependents. I then asked how she would go about to make it fair and affordable to everyone. She said that she would base the affordability on a standard percent rate of yearly gross income per family or individual. This may seem unfair to those who make more money, but she said that she would take into consideration other factors such as dependents into consideration. She said while attempting to make it fair and equal she would try and set reasonable standards and criteria for all health care providers and insurance companies to ensure the safety of the Americans. She also said, “I’m not certain to how I would create and determine the standards, but I would do extensive research and have outside help before I made any drastic decisions. I would try and enforce a secure health plan like in the past with CHIP; it seemed to be popular and productive with majority of the people.”
With life, family, and other struggles Mrs. Martin hopes with the upcoming President a new available and affordable health care program is developed. Having experienced both a secure life while having Clinton in office, and a difficult struggle with the changes Bush recently made, she hopes to gain her sense of protection again. She concluded with this statement, “I am tired of playing Russian roulette with my health and the health of my family.” So if you can sympathize with her situation then maybe when you vote you while take into consideration how much “health care really matters.”
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe on -
I believe heath care needs to go down. So many americans are getting affected by the amount of healthcare cost because of the premiums costing so much on healthcare. Especially the retirees are getting affected because they just don't have the money to be paying for high health insurance cost. I believe once you retire you should get free healthcare. You have worked your entire life and I just feel we should get an incentive for working half of our life.We need to find a president that will make a change with healthcare. Also I believe when you work for business that should have health plans to support you or your family.We just need to find a better way to better the healthcare system.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Melita on
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I agree that health care is a big issue , and I can understand your subjects concerns about her childrens health care, however, this plan only takes care of children. While I agree that children need health care and that this was a good plan... what about the rest of us. I don't disagree with the governmet taking care of the children but the liklihood of a child having any major heath issues is unlikely unless the are born with it.. What about the middle class, the elderly, and those that just can't afford insurance. Should they just do without. Yes, health care really matters, but it should matter for everyone!
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Permalink Reply by Eric Sawyer on
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i strongly agree, heath care is a big issue right now and needs to be addressed. Heath care is a essential thing that i think every American needs. And the rising cost of heath care starts a whole new issue about the elderly coming out of retirement to pay their medical bills. I believe this is a very good topic and hope they can find a better way to address it.
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Permalink Reply by Kristy Hosein on -
Response#2
I agree with Mrs. Martin on health care being a big factor. With having two small children myself health care is a major factor. Many children and elderly suffer because they do not get the care they need. Many elderly can not afford the doctor visits or the medications they need to stay healthy. I believe that health care should be one of the many things that the next president should work on to improve.
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Permalink Reply by Angel Barrera on
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I agree health is very important and that health care needs to go down a little. I think that its unbelievable that the government hasn't resolved the problem that people that have children’s are facing due to health care costs. In this elections 2008, I hope McCain and Obama have very good plans about the health care costs, but one thing is saying it and another is making it real and that congress accept it. I hope that Mrs. Veronica Martin words makes more people understand the importance of this problem, and that the government takes responsibility for what is happening,
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Permalink Reply by Bianca Vargas on
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i had never put in mind health care as a issue i had kind of just left it in the back of my head, but when you metioned the situation of your interviewed person. it really made me stop and think about how healthcare can affect everyone. it is really scary to think what would happen if we were left having to pay our own healthcare without any govermental help.
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Permalink Reply by lamar hailey on
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I also think that health care should go down I mean everyone is working all their lives and saving and trying to put money away for a nice retirement but then to have to turn around and give it all back in the form of paying for something you earned by working so hard all those years just doesn't seem right at least to me.
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Permalink Reply by Jackie on
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I agree with the fact that healthcare in this country is a big issue. I think many families fall into the category of Veronica Martin, where the system feels they have too much money to have coverage but yet couldnt afford it on there own. I never understood this, i think we should all have a way to be covered, while Ms. Martin talks about childrends coverage, I think its just as important for us all to have healthcare that we can afford and not be scared about what to do when any family member gets sick. I hope that whethter Mc Cain or Obama gets elected president, that this issue will be dealt with in a way that makes it possible for anyone, lower, middle, to high class can be able to have without any stresses and worries that many people have now with the healthcare system.
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Permalink Reply by morgen smart on
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I think this issue should be treated very carefully and promptly when we get our prestident hopefuly we can belive that they cn help and will and not just focus on other things
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Permalink Reply by Krystal Margaret Reyes on
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Health care is a very important issue to consider in this upcoming election. I would like to see the affordability of health care become easier for those of lower classes. As a middle class american myself, I know the struggles of being able to afford something that helps save and protect your life. Unfortunately, I feel that things have gotten way out of hand with insurance companies to the point where many people do away with having any insurance at all. For the sake of all Americans, I hope that the new president takes care of this issue.
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Permalink Reply by John Suchy on -
Moni, I also am a strong believer towards our health care system. I really liked how you opened your introductury paragraph. "All these factors in her life helped influence her answer when I asked, “What really matters?” Your described Mrs. Martin very well! Looking at the state of our nations healthcare, I believe that this should be the next presidents main concern. I mean, we should take care of our own American people before we decide to do anything else. Many people cant afford to obtain health insurance so there basically left with nothing to do when he or she gets sick. Its up to our goverment, to make drastic changes that will better the lives of the American people. FREE health care seems like the only possible solution at this time but everyone knows that it is very unlikely. Great essay moni!
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Permalink Reply by Johanna Estrada on -
I totally agree that the health care needs to go down know in this days is so expensive and many americans are getting affected because of the premiums of the costing so much of the helth care. These is a really big issue because health care is something that every American need especially if they have childrens or even to them as adults is something that is very useful no matter what and that every person should have it. But as for write know on how the economy is there are some people that they dont have a healthcare and they are going to a lot of struggling. They might be familys that have kids with major problems and they dont have the insurance on were it could help them with that and so they have to pay everything from there pocket.In my opinion i think and hope for our next president to treat this issue promptly and focus on things that he could do to change this.
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