In many ways, a country’s health care says a lot about the society of the respective country. One can even argue that principles of the health care directly translate to the educational system. If that is true, the USA are losing it. They are losing it all - at least from a European perspective. Republicans fired at the <<Affordable Care Act>>, also known as Obamacare. Under Donald Trump, it is going to be replaced by the <<American Health Care Act>>. The consequences are going to be severe and those, who can afford it, will be covered. But by no means those who need it the most.
When Being Covered Is A Luxury
Under Obamacare, the number of people uncovered dropped to <<just>> 26 million. With the American Health Care Act that number instantly increases to 31 million. By 2026, 52 million people would be uncovered. That number would be lower under Obamacare with just 28 million. Within a year, 14 million more Americans would not be able to afford a decent health care. Especially the elderly, the sick and the poorer are going to suffer. That is going to have a severe effect on women with less income, too.
In essence, being covered and being able to afford health care is going to be a luxury. I understand the point that people need to be motivated to work and cover themselves. But being sick, one is not able to work with the same intensity than previously. Therefore health care is going to be difficult to afford. What is the point of having a health care system if sick people are not going to be covered?
Cutting the Budget Deficit
Opponents of Obamacare always say that the Affordable Care Act costs way too much money and would increase the budget deficit. Indeed, the American Heath Care Act saves money over the next few years. But not everything that saves some money does not cost a thing. Not covering 14 million people over the course of the next year costs a lot. It costs taxes because these people are not able to work. It costs the entrepreneurs valid output because their labor force is declined. And at the end of the day, that is what the state is for, or am I mistaken? If health care is organized privately, what is the state’s role anyway?
The Interests Behind It
If the Republicans claim that they are the voice of the wealthy, that would be honest. But claiming to be the voice of the underachieving, would be misleading. Ironically, Donald Trump is supported by people with less education, fewer income and living in industrial regions. Those people are effected by the American Health Care Act in a negative way. Those people would have benefited from Obamacare. And what does that mean for the educational system?
If everything is organized privately, so is going to be education. To my mind, that is the Republicans’ vision. That is what I call the financial selection. Everything is decided on whether you are able to afford something. If that were true for our system, that would not be a system that I want to live in. Luckily, I am an Austrian and a lot of the things discussed by the Republicans are just outrageous. The United States of America lost their leading role in the world and they lost it on moral ground. Interesting what Donald Trump and the Republicans destroyed within two months …