I want to talk about why I believe that health care coverage should be a right for all U.S. citizens. We pay a lot in taxes—on our wages, on things we buy, and on what we own. So, I think the least the government can do is provide us with access to health care. I’m an Iraq War disabled veteran, so the VA usually covers my hospital bills. However, getting regular check-ups or special appointments is tough because the VA is often booked for months. My employer provides insurance too, but it’s only good if you stay local in network, and it’s not the best coverage. That’s also considering that my employer is the hospital, so if they can’t even give their staff adequate insurance then who is?

I think it’s time to overhaul the health care system. Insurance companies refusing to cover life-saving procedures is a sad reality in our country. We need comprehensive health care for everyone, and it should be a right. As a registered nurse, I also think about how this affects health care workers. Nurses are underpaid, especially when you consider the responsibility, stress and abuse we deal with on the daily. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we make about $38.47/hr on average. High school kids with no experience are making close to that amounts working from home, which is unfair. I know this might be selfish but as is hospitals aren’t paying or staffing us nurses as they should, so what would happen if universal health care is created. We need better health care coverage for everyone in the U.S. Insurance costs keep rising, but the level of coverage does not improve. I really do hope we see positive changes in the health care space as a whole.

References:

Zieff, G., Kerr, Z. Y., Moore, J. B., & Stoner, L. (2020). Universal healthcare in the United States of America: A healthy debate. Medicina, 56(11), 580. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56110580Links to an external site.

Registered nurses. (2008, September 9). Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2020/may/oes291141.htmLinks to an external site.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). (2021, December 1). ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND DISPARITIES IN ACCESS. 2021 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK578537/Links to an external site.

National Academies Press (US). (2002). Effects of health insurance on health. Care Without Coverage – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK220636/Links to an external site.