US Healthcare System
The Democrats are credited with the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The PPACA is famously referred to as Obamacare. From a Democrat perspective, the Obamacare policy is aimed at ensuring that the federal government assumes the role of managing the healthcare system (Dumbrell, 2013). In this context, the Democrats’ proposal to have every citizen access health care services through government-oriented health insurance is not supported by the Republicans. The Republicans support a healthcare system that is developed from a tax reform policy. In this regard, the idea of making healthcare services affordable and accessible is by lowering taxes on health insurance (Dumbrell, 2013).
The Democrats have proposed purchasing health insurance coverage through Medicaid. From a Republican perspective, the government’s control over health care is against the spirit of the American constitution. The idea that citizens are forced to purchase health insurance violates Americans’ liberal rights. The Republicans liken Obamacare to a euro-style bureaucracy. The Republicans believe that PPACA will subject the country to a financial burden since the policy is unsustainable considering that the United States economy is still struggling.
The Republicans’ approach on Medicare is that senior citizens should have a similar health insurance plan to that of Congress. In this context, senior citizens are allowed to have medical savings accounts and make healthcare choices based on a free-market system (Karch, 2007). However, the Democrats’ opposition to healthcare that operates on a free-market policy is based on fears of manipulation by private healthcare providers. The Democrats allege that private healthcare providers are culpable of manipulating the cost of healthcare.
The Republicans favor the use of Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) as a taxation law applicable to the health care system. In this context, the government is unable to control healthcare insurance for individual workers (Karch, 2007). The Democrats’ approach on MSAs is that such a development will only favor the employed. However, the Democrats maintain that the government must ensure equitable and fair access to healthcare services for both employed and unemployed.
Both the Democrats and the Republicans have a unilateral approach in regards to HIV/AIDS policy. The Democrats led by the president and the Republicans agree on the new Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS initiative that promotes abstinence, one sex partner, use of condoms, and behavioral change (Daschle & Nather, 2010). Both political factions have consistently supported the Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS by terming it the most economic strategy in addressing the health issue.
Another health issue that has attracted a bipartisan approach from the Democrats and Republicans is the policy on scientific research (Daschle & Nather, 2010). In this regard, the Democrats have supported the continuation and funding of scientific research in the health sector. For example, the Democrats and Republicans appreciate medical research on adult stem cells. However, both Democrats and Republicans oppose any funding for research in human cloning and embryo cells.
The Republicans encourage the idea to have customized insurance policy especially for primary and preventive care (Daschle & Nather, 2010). Customization of healthcare insurance is aimed at reducing the cost of the same. The Republicans propose increased funding for community health facilities and improved partnership between the government and private health sector. The Democrats also favor the same proposal, but on the condition that there are uniform state legislatures on primary and preventive care.
References
Daschle, T & Nather, D. (2010). Getting it done: How Obama and Congress finally broke the stalemate to make way for health care reform. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Dumbrell, J. (2013). Issues in American politics: Polarized politics in the age of Obama. New York, NY: Routledge.
Karch, A. (2007). Democratic Laboratories: Policy Diffusion among the American states. St, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.