I came to the United States sixteen years ago. Being a European, I have watched with great interest and disbelief about the ongoing disagreements regarding a socialized health care system, which President Bill Clinton has proposed. I am a native of Poland and experienced positive benefits of socialized medicine, so I can't understand why some people are so negative towards changes in the health care program. Are we really happy with our current medical insurance? I don't think so. Recent data from the Census Bureau show that "43.4 million people in the United States had no health insurance coverage" (Bennefield 1). Almost eleven million American children are uninsured as well. Adults and children don't have medical coverage because they can't afford it (1). People who do have some form of medical coverage are often unaware of the hidden costs dictated by the private insurance companies. In addition, do you recall how many times you have watched the news about people asking us for financial support because they couldn't pay their medical bill? What is wrong with this picture? Why do we have to ask for charity versus having a better health system? I strongly believe that health care should be available to anyone, and especially in America, the richest country in the world. We all want good, affordable medical coverage, but we are not getting it. Therefore, we should change the current medical system by following the example of socialized medicine in Europe, by making changes in the insurance companies, and by making preventive medicine our priority.

First of all, let me tell you what socialized medicine means. It is a public system of national health insurance where doctors are usually paid for their services by the government, and everyone is eligible for medical care without any preexisting condition. Most European countries have some form of socialized medicine. For example, in Poland the health care system is free. Employers pay 48% of a worker's monthly salary to cover not only medical care but the retirement program as well. The rest of the money for medical needs comes from the government's funds. My sister, who lives in Germany, told me that 13.1% of her monthly salary is deducted from her paycheck to cover the medical insurance. She said that she only pays about $5 for her prescriptions and about $15 per day for a hospital stay. Dental and eye care is also included in Germany's medical program. My sister likes their program and feels secure having the coverage. While many opponents in America say that a national health care system won't work, I don't agree with this statement. I know for a fact (because I lived in Poland) that socialized medicine works. I have an example of the American couple who went to Poland to get help because our present health care program failed. The story was printed in the Commonweal in 1995. The Polish-born wife of an American filmmaker had a history of heart problems, and when she needed surgery, her insurance company declined paying for it (due to the preexisting conditions). Doctors delayed her treatment because she couldn't pay for it. Outraged by the failure of the American system, the couple decided to seek help in post-communist Poland. Both of them talked about her successful surgery and their positive experience. Of course, free medicine in Poland doesn't apply to non-citizens, therefore the couple had to pay the bill, which was two-thirds less than in the United States ("Being sick in America: try the Polish Cure" 1-4). I am happy for that couple who had a positive experience with socialized medicine, but it makes me sad that other Americans can't try a better health care system.

Besides taking an example from European socialized medicine, we should make changes in our insurance companies. Some Americans worry about letting the government control our health system but can't see that hospitals, doctors, and all of us are already controlled by the private insurance companies. These companies are thinking about profit, not the well-being of the insured. That's why in our benefits packages we can find so many exclusions. Why should the insurance companies deny further medical help to the people with some medical history? For instance, when the wife of the American filmmaker had a history of heart problems, should she be left without the help of the doctors because she couldn't pay ("Being sick in America: try the Polish cure"1-4)? We pay enough money for our insurance, and sometimes we don't even use it, so why do the insurance companies penalize us when we need their help? If we would follow any European medical system then we wouldn't have to worry about exclusions due to preexisting conditions; they don't exist in socialized medicine. The other change that the insurance companies should make involves equal opportunities in purchasing health plans. We all know that insurance companies sell better health care plans to the big group companies than they sell to a single individual. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to work for a company with great benefits. Does this mean that insurance companies have to take advantage of these individuals by limiting their benefits and overcharging them? Of course not, and that's why we have to make changes in our insurance companies.

My last proposal in changing our current medical system involves preventive medicine, such as regular doctor, dental, and eye care. Based on my experience from Poland and some knowledge about Germany's program, I know that preventive medicine should be on the priority list of American medical coverage, but it is not. Actually, many insurance companies exclude preventive care from their benefit packages, causing people to overlook the early signs of future health problems. J.Goodman and G.Musgrave presented some statistics about deaths which could be avoided if preventive medicine was applied ("Preventive Medicine" 1-2). Can't the insurance companies see that by not offering preventive care, the costs of further treatment will be higher? Now, what about dental and eye care, which most of the insurers offer as an optional service. Should these parts of our bodies be neglected, and are they not as important as the rest of our organs? Yes, they are, and that's why we have to change the thinking process of American insurance companies. For example, if we go to the dentist for regular check-ups, then we prevent further complications and high cost restoration fees. Eye care, also an important part of preventive care, should not be excluded by insurers. As with other illnesses, vision problems should be corrected as soon as possible. Some insurance companies consider glasses a cosmetic device, but I don't agree with this statement. Glasses are used to correct the vision. People who have to wear eyeglasses need them as much as individuals who have to wear pacemakers or someone who has to take a medicine to stay healthy. It's time to stop cheating our health and start changing our current medical system.

I will say that the health care system problem is complex. It is hard to find the perfect program, which might not even exist, but we should look for better solutions and try to implement them. We can't just be negative to the new proposals. For instance, maybe President Clinton's plan would work, but we will never know because congress rejected it. According to Elizabeth Neus, President Clinton's plan would cover all the 43.3 million uninsured people, would include preventive medicine, and would be cost effective ("Health-Care Reforms" 1-10). I think this plan is worth reviewing. Also, we all have to learn how to cooperate. Politicians should put aside their political differences, insurance companies and the doctors should stop thinking only about their financial benefits, and the citizens should not overuse their medical benefits. I strongly believe that concentrating on what's best for us will lead to the creation of a better health care system.
 
 

Works cited

Bennefield, Robert. "Number of Americans Without Health Insurance Coverage

Increases in 1997 Census Bureau Reports." United States Department of Commerce 09.28.1998. Online. Internet. 11.12.98. Available: http://www.census.gov/Press- Release/cb98-172.html
"Being Sick In America: Try The Polish Cure." Commonweal 06.16.1995.Online.
Internet. 11.09.98. Available: http://web4.com/infrotrac/session/990/280/28282863w3/30!nxt_47
Goodman, J. and L.Musgrave. "Preventive Medicine." Patient Power (Washington, DC:
Cato Institute, 1992). Online. Internet. 11.21.98. Available: http://www.public-policy.org/~ncpa/w/w40.html
Neus, Elizabeth. "Health-Care Reform: Q& A: How Reform Might Affect You." Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, S.D). 02.13.1994. Online. Internet. 11.12.98. Available: http:/res-articledisplay?0105117+Data+about+people+not+covered+by+health+care+insurance