With the Conservatives having
now won the general election we’re set to see some changes to UK healthcare,
and maybe for the better. Not only is the NHS a popular topic but it’s also an
issue I’m interested in because of my family. I have two children who are at university and my parents, thankfully, are still with us. So the outcome of
the health care the country provides them is of great importance to me.
I recently read an article on
the BBC about health care in America,
specifically Obama Care (the official name of the law is ‘Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act’), and it got me thinking. A lot of people, quite
rightly, have opinions on health care in the UK; we all live different lives
and have different needs, so we each seek what is best for us. However, having followed the Obama Care law
since it began as a bill, and reading the above article, it makes me wonder if
we should think more about how lucky we are in the UK. Yes some may not be happy
with a Conservative government but we have two clear and easily accessible
options that will not change regardless of which party is in power: the free
NHS or private specialised healthcare. Americans
don’t have this luxury; health care changes drastically depending on whether it’s
the Republicans or Democrats in control. In fact, the Republicans have openly
fought the Obama Care law.
Although Obama Care focuses
on health insurance, many Americans haven’t been able to afford health
insurance up until the law came in to effect, and as such had little to no options
if they or their family became ill. But as of January 2015, there are fewer
uninsured Americans which means the bill is working; more people are insured
and fewer are struggling with medical debt.
Can we hope to see the Conservatives
bring such a positive change to the UK? It’s probably unlikely, but only
because their starting point is better than it is in America. They have pledged
to improve the areas that need it though. They plan to improve access to mental
health treatment across the country, integrate health and social care better
and eventually, provide same day appointments for over 75s. Although other
parties had promised similar policies it will be interesting to see how the
Conservatives in particular, achieve these goals.
What is certain is that we
will likely always have a better health care scheme than our friends over the
pond. Although Obama Care focuses on allowing more Americans to have
affordable, quality health insurance, is this the start of things changing in
America? Will they one day have their own version of the NHS, and will that
mean their private care is closer, or more dissimilar, to ours? These are all
questions that give food for thought. Whether in America or in the UK, it will
certainly be interesting to see how things are for both countries come 2020. I
hope that for my family’s sake, the Conservatives are able to fulfil their
promises and that our health care continues to build on how good it already is and
improve in the areas it needs to.
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