Health Care Proposal & Survey

Today, our nation is engaged in a controversial debate about the future of health care in the United States of America. In the past weeks and months, American citizens have witnessed a rant by the media over the health care reform, as well as arguments from two sides of the question. The question, of course, deals with the perhaps fundamental issue of taking a more socialistic approach to our current health care. Furthermore, the health care debate today centers on the issue of whether a citizen has a fundamental right to health care and who should have access to this health care. Alternatively, some argue there is no need to reform, yet the leading cause of bankruptcy in America is Medical debt, and relative to most industrialized nations who have health care, the United States has a higher level of insurance companies and providers who make a profit. In fact, these companies have the highest profit margins in terms of all businesses and corporations in the United States. When the United states has the highest cost per capita than any other nation in the world, and when the use of health care services in the United States is below the average among the developed nations in the world, there is obviously an inherent problem in health care, and a clear necessity for reform.

As can be seen, the side I’m taking here is clear. I believe that there is a need for health care reform. However, I do not believe the reform should be approached focused on nationalizing health care. I am a Canadian citizen, and I have experienced two different health care systems in North America. I strongly believe the health care system in the United States is of higher quality than our neighbors up north. Consequently, I strongly favor a free market approach to health care (as has been somewhat proposed by President Obama). In this essay, I will focus on the specific health care reforms I believe should be enacted, as well as incorporating input from subjects that have been surveyed. I will have a heavy focus on the subjects being surveyed.

The surveyors will not only be students from University of Michigan – Dearborn, but also citizens and students of Universities from Canada (specifically Windsor, Ontario). I will ask them questions regarding the quality of their health care, the insurance benefits they receive, and their input on health care reform in the United States. Inherently, an ignorance of current events poses an obstacle to this surveying. A considerable amount of surveyors will undoubtedly not be knowledgeable about the health care debate currently underway in the United States. As a result, I will try to the best of my abilities to help these surveyors become knowledgeable, yet this presents an inherent bias in the data. To combat this inaccuracy, I will survey many subjects in order to receive as accurate as data as possible.

I have not chosen the order or format of the survey as of yet, but here are some questions I am considering. There will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer.

1. How do you rate the quality of health care in the United States today?
-Multiple choice, or a scale from 1 to 10-

2. Are you aware of the current health care debate in Washington?
-Yes, No-

3. Do you currently have health insurance?
-Answer yes, no, decline to answer-
-The purpose of this question is to analyze results of those who have insurance and those who don’t, as it is more likely that those who do have insurance will not support reform.

4. How would you rate the quality of your insurance company?
-Scale from 1 to 10- Only if they answered yes to # 2

5. Would you say that health care should be reformed in the United States? If yes, why do you say so?
-Short answer. Will give an insight into the knowledge of the participant.-

6. Do you support nationalizing health care?
-Yes, No, Don’t Know-

7. Do you support a free market system in which insurance companies compete with each other for coverage on a patient?
-Yes, No, Don’t Know- Will have a spot for comments.-

8. Do you support the idea that every citizen is required to have health insurance?
-Yes, No, Don’t Know- Will have a spot for comments.-

9. If you feel that there is a need to reform health care, what do you feel is the number one problem with the current system in the United States?
-Short answer-

10. If you feel that there is not a need to reform health care, what do you feel is the number one asset with the current system in the United States?
-Short answer-

11. Do you feel like the elderly and the poor are taken care of in the United States in terms of health care?
-Yes, No, Comments-

There will probably be further questions I would like to ask. This will be a short survey which should take no longer than 5 minutes a participant. The data from these surveys will be analyzed and incorporated into the essay. The questions should probably have an alternative order to the one I have presented above.

Nevertheless, I feel like this will be an engaging experience since it is a hot topic in which many students will surely have an input (especially since it cuts across party lines!).