Case Scenario

Healthcare in the United States is a constant struggle. For generations the country has been in heated debate over the best approach to this unsettling issue. While many changes have been made, none seem to be effective enough to please and serve the country effectively. No matter what course is taken there is always a group, or groups of individuals who are left out and underserved. As a country we need to provide for all of our citizens to ensure healthy living and overall quality of life. Unfortunately, our society is based off of socioeconomic class. This becomes an issue in regards to healthcare requirements due to the fact that many poverty stricken families go throughout their lives with little or no coverage at all. For those in good financial standing healthcare is easily accessible, while the poor struggle and deal with illness in inhumane ways. Millions of American citizens are uninsured; this number includes all walks of life from children through the elderly. In order to overcome this devastating issue the American people have to come to a decision on how to care for all of our citizens so that no one is left out. In today’s society this has become an even more difficult task as we face an ongoing struggle within our economy, leaving many families in financial hardship.

The United States is known as one of the greatest world powers: however it is held back by its weak healthcare system. As of 2010 the US healthcare system currently ranks the 37th best out of 190 countries (Murray). Before the introduction of the Affordable Care Ac in 2010, the United States had an individual insurance market. It was the responsibility of the individual or their employer to take care of their healthcare costs. On top of this, millions of people could be denied insurance by different agencies due to pre-existing claims. Healthcare was expensive, but the costs were nothing compared to the medical bills owed by an uninsured person. Universal healthcare is a basic right not a privilege. Everyone should be given the

Health care is not a privilege. In fact, a good level and quality on healthcare should be an inalienable right for all people. Social class, status or economic situation shouldn’t dictate who live and enjoy of good health or who doesn’t. Healthcare in America should be universal, continuous, and affordable to all individuals and families. Although some of the states in the US are taking unilateral measures not to focus exclusively on the poor, but seeks to guarantee health access to any uninsured people, achieving universal coverage will require federal leadership and support, regardless of which strategy is adopted to achieve this

The government would be the sole determiner of the number of medical professionals that could work.”( Creech, Mark H. “Universal Health Care Is Unbiblical. ) Is access to health care a human right, or a valued social good, or neither? In 2003 the Institute of Medicine published a report, Insuring America's Health, which contained five principles for evaluating various strategies for health care reform. The first principle, "the most basic and important," was that health care coverage should be universal. The idea that access to health care should be universal, however, has become one of the most hotly debated issues in the ongoing discussion of how to reform the U.S. healthcare system. In Opposing Viewpoints: Universal Health Care, authors explores the

I strongly believe that all American citizens should be entitled free healthcare. This is due to that fact that this can play a big role of ensuring that there is an improved access to health services. In addition, ensuring that all American citizens have an access to the right health care will also decrease health care costs. For instance, by allowing people to receive regular and preventive medical care and not wait until they are persistently ill to request treatment when medical costs are much higher (Niles, 2011). In relation to this free health care will promote equal chance by decreasing the number of people who are economically deprived in society (Niles, 2011). This can be because of bad health and other medically-related financial problems.

Energized by the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding most of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the American Nurses Association (ANA) is continuing its wide ranging efforts to ensure that Registered Nurses (RNs) have an even greater role in providing high quality care as implementation of the landmark law progresses. As guiding principles, ANA contends that health care is a basic human right, and that all deserve access to essential health care services. As nurses witness every day, a lack of primary and preventive care can cause people's manageable chronic conditions to spiral, leading to poorer patient outcomes and increased overall health care costs. (Anonymous, 2012). According to Billings and Halstead (2012), nurses are poised to participate in transforming this nation's health care system. Participation requires nurses to possess political advocacy skills so that nursing voice is brought to the policy debates and policy development.

To ensure that we as nurses are advocates for not only our patients, but also out communities as a whole, it is imperative for us to fully understand our scope of proactive and our voices that can be heard as an individuals but also as a collaborative voice in legislations by being in empowered professional groups such as the ANA. Promoting better health care polices benefits our society with better health outcomes as well as better financial futures since a healthier society wastes less money and resources when compared to one that does not promote health initiatives. One way to ensure that we as nurses are up to date on current policy and legislation issues is to join a professional group such as the ANA. Advocacy for health care policy requires knowledge and efforts of such large groups and active lobbyists that professional organizations can offer its members (Abood, 2007). Being well informed by a reputable and trust worthy group not only keeps one up to date on all current healthcare issues, but also gives access to resources to actively engage in proposed solutions so that nurses may better advocate for the patients and populations who are so greatly affected by healthcare

The author states that if America is able to find the political will to provide universal healthcare coverage, the rest of the world can then show the way. This says to me that the United States must look within itself and make the moral determination as to whether healthcare should be considered a fundamental right granted to all its citizens as a theme of this book. Once addressed, the United States can join the other industrialized countries that have long since implemented universal healthcare systems such as: Germany, France, United Kingdom, and Canada; who have more cost effective systems which produce better health outcomes than the US.1

For this reason, the U.S government should provide affordable health insurance to all its citizens because affordable health care will ensure that no one has to find out when they get sick that a necessary treatment has been excluded from their coverage or they cannot have necessary treatments. Every person should be able to purchase insurance plans that cover the benefits that they need and deserve as a human

Many American citizens prefer to worry about providing food for their families and pay their bills for essential public services than paying expensive medical bills. They can’t go to hospitals and or seek for medical help due to the high cost of seeing a doctor, and impossible health insurance. The government tried to solve this problem and made an attempt to propose a bill on health care reform, after all the votes were counted and the 111th Congress of the United States gave the green light, President Barack Obama signed into law on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This part of the legislature was created to provide all citizens to have access to health care regardless of age, preexisting medical conditions, and health insurance coverage. But what will the price for such of privilege be? Not everything that shines is

Who better to help discover research and help implement changes to healthcare issues than the nurse on a working level. I understand the uncertainty that nurses feel when having to advocate change as our textbook and other sources have reported, Education about policy, advocacy, politics should be initiated during the education process in the nursing schools, if this occurs the graduating nurse is very comfortable with the policy and politics policy and she will make a difference. This process should be consistently addressed in the work place. (Milstesd 2016). The Future of Nursing Report by the IOM states that “Nurses should be full partners redesigning health care. I strongly agreed with this statement, how many times has a new policy or change has been implemented that wasn’t beneficial for patient or you as the nurse. When nurses seek out to identify problems or issues of concern, take an active political role, to make a difference in the policy making process, we will finally see real change occur in health

One must not forget that access to health is a right set by universal standards. The right to health care is one of many human rights recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Jacobsen, 2014). Perhaps this is the concept that does not sit well for many Americans who feel that individuals in need must focus on finding coverage on their own, and not take help from the government. On the other hand, the argument must not stand on just a few circumstances, one must not view the obvious health care issues on a personal level. One must focus on the issues as a whole, the country can clearly see that the old way of managing the health care system is not working, this means the nation must move on to different tactics. That’s exactly what the Law does, it is time for

With the ANA support in March of 2010 President Obama proposed the Health Care Reform Act to help assure individuals better, high-quality, and affordable health care insurance coverage. ("Health care reform in the United States", 2010, p.1). "The health care is a human right, and will continue to fight on behalf of nurses and their patients to ensure that this is achieved" (Ana: Ensuring nurses, paragraph, 1). By attending and speaking at public health care events, being involved with other stakeholders like; Health Reform Dialogue (HRD) group, and along with staying up to date and in contact with the Congress and Capitol Hill the ANA shows it's involvement to achieving the goal that the health care reform act insures. Stakeholders and other health care professional organizations gather to speak about " health coverage, disease prevention, and increasing funds for education. These ideas are now being projected to the media and Congress (Ana: Ensuring nurses).

Every citizen in the USA should have insurance to protect theirself, in addition provide equality in America. That way every citizen will not be denied of treatment despite of urgency. Providing backup money will always be a key essential before a catastrophe happens; in fact, the government has the financial stability. Insurance for every citizen should be considered mandatory, for this purpose it supports Americans in rough times that are unpredictable. The United States government is the only multi-billion agency that can provide for billions of citizens in America. Requiring insurance for everyone must be sustained by a strong national government that has plenty of service to ensure tranquility and protection for

Granting, many Americans have federally imposed health insurance due the Affordable health care act a vast majority are not in possession of all the facts pertaining to the policy stipulations related to how those services are to be dispensed. Subsequently, most are often genuinely, bewildered and confused after multiple attempts to decipher the complexities behind or some might say in front of; just how inaccessible their assured healthcare services have come to