Access to Insurance Versus Access to Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Access to Insurance Versus Access to Care - Essay Example However, there should be glaring distinctions. Access to healthcare must be all about the ability of Americans to obtain care for themselves whenever they get sick. And such care includes access to physicians, hospitals and others facilities and services of the medical system. On the other hand, access to insurance refers to the access and use of health plans. Essentially, hence, the lack in insurance coverage does not necessarily mean there is no access to health care. Henderson (2009) pointed this out by citing how the uninsured in America receive about 60 percent of the medical care per capita of those with insurance (p.68). So what this means is that the uninsured does get medical care. The issue about access all boils down to the term "ability". Yes, the uninsured can still avail of medical care but they do receive, in the words of Henderson, less care than the insured Americans (p.68). This is the reason why the 2010 federal health reform law was enacted. It follows the objective of universal coverage in which health care insurance participation becomes mandatory, rejecting the voluntary system in the process, and paving the way for medical care access for all. It took a long time for this health reform initiative to be realized. Different administrations have proposed different health care models aiming for nationalized and universal coverage and failed. Even as we speak, the current law, which should depict the pinnacle of these initiatives having been passed and implemented two years ago, is still in danger of getting repelled once a Republican regime is elected to the White House. This reflects the highly contentious debate about how to pursue health reform f rom two dominant political and ideological standpoints. The liberals favor the current system of universal healthcare whereas the conservatives want to cut cost and are committed to the old model typified by individualism, freedom of choice and competition. This conflict is