Monday, November 28, 2011

Supreme Court To Review Healthcare Reforms

West face of the United States Supreme Court b...
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The issue of health insurance seems to always be in the news in America, especially in the last couple of years as a result of the reforms which were passed last year.

The system is vastly different to the one in the UK, with almost all Americans required to have a health insurance policy or they will be fined through the tax system. The Supreme Court is set to rule next year on the recent reforms to ascertain if they are in line with the US constitution.

It has been a source of constant debate, with the majority of candidates in the recent presidential debates condemning the new laws, in particular the penalty aspect.

The conservative argument in favour of the reforms is that most responsible adults, in particular those with families, will get a health insurance policy. Either they will be covered though a business health insurance policy at their job or they will purchase it themselves. The cost of care is far too expensive for those who do not have insurance therefore the costs are outweighed by the benefits.

There are some people who will not be able to obtain a policy, perhaps those with high risk factors or pre-existing conditions, because the cost will be too high. Even some healthy individuals may find the cost of a policy too high. These are the people set to gain the most from healthcare reform, by either getting access to much more affordable health insurance or by being exempt from the penalties.

It will be interesting to monitor this situation in the coming months. It really makes the healthcare system in the UK seems far less complex. 

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