There has been a lot of debate in the U.S on which sectors need to be given the first priority in budgetary allocation. The American citizens are being faced with a lot of challenges that need government attention in order to improve the lives of its citizens. Although there are many issues that need immediate attention, the healthcare sector stands out as the one that needs to be given the first priority (Koningsberg, 2008).
Washington has over the years ignored the health care sector and in the process leaving the poor struggling to access quality health care due to selective policies that favor the rich.
The recent healthcare bill that is sponsored by the Government is a welcome relief to those people who are unable to pay the expensive premiums charged by insurance companies. This paper will discuss why the policy issues in the healthcare sector need to be given the first budgetary priority by both the senate and the government.
Over 47 million citizens in the U.S do not have a health insurance cover which makes this a major source of concern (Bowles, 1993). This numbers are always moving up because of the ever increasing cost of living. The healthcare problem qualifies to be given the first priority because there is no way a population without proper healthcare can be economically viable.
From a personal experience, my mother lost her life because of breast cancer because she was unable to access medical attention. Since she didn’t have a medical insurance to cater for her treatment, she was unable to access treatment on time and later succumbed to the illness (Gosling, 2009).
The cost of health insurance has been increasing and in the process making it difficult for the poor to access quality medical care. The healthcare bill that is fully supported by President Obama aims at subsidizing health insurance premiums paid by low income earners (Gosling, 2009).
The government intends to achieve that by putting a healthcare policy in place that regulates insurance companies and thus prevent them from exploiting the poor. The government also intents to set aside abudgetary allocation to cushion low income earners from paying expensive insurance premiums for their heath.
This policy will ensure that many citizens become insured to ensure that no citizens fail to receive medical attention due to the inability to pay for health insurance premiums (Koningsberg, 2008).
The healthcare will also ensure that the price of drugs in hospitals are subsidized and in the process lowering the cost of medical care. Although there are other issues that need attention, the healthcare problems need immediate budgetary allocation because of the desperate nature of the situation in the country.
In conclusion, it is important for the government and the senate to consider the most critical issues affecting the citizens during budgetary allocation. The majority of the citizens are unable to access quality medical care due to high insurance premiums charged insurance companies.
Having lost a close family member due to lack of insurance cover, I came to the realization of how our health care policies need immediate checking in order to cater for the low income earners who can not afford to pay for a health insurance cover. The healthcare policy needs to receive some attention from the senate and government in order for all citizens to access quality healthcare.
References
Bowles, N. (1993). The government and politics of the United States. New York, NY: Palgrave McMillan.
Gosling, J. (2009). Budgetary politics in American governments. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Koningsberg, C. (2008). America’s priorities: How the U.S government raises and spends $ 3,000,000,000,000 (Trillion) per year. New York, NY: AuthorHouse.