The Political Inquirer

In this state, over 600,000 people are living without health insurance, but only 90,000 people have entered into the health care lottery that may get them coverage. Perhaps, they feel the situation is hopeless, though with 10,000 places open in the state’s health care plan, their chances aren’t as bad as a regular lottery: 1/9 , compared to something closer to 1/1 million for other state lotteries.

This plan sounds like a scenario out of a dystopic short story, but it’s a reality in the state of Oregon. Have people really gotten this desperate? In recent article on the topic, the BBC weighs in and their assessment isn’t pretty: America’s health care system is in disarray.

Critics of nationalized health care plans are rampant, but the current situation isn’t working either. 45 million Americans are uninsured, and it’s not just ‘lazy, unemployed people’ who are affected. Some jobs just don’t offer health care plans and, as is often the case with those that do, some families find themselves choosing between docked wages at low paying jobs or getting health care for themselves and their families. Yet what good is health care if you can’t pay the grocery bill?

The debate will go on well into this election and beyond. On the one hand are people who believe health care should be a right and on the other are people who feel it should be earned, or that a national health care plan would clog the system and make it difficult to get help.

Yet national health care systems work just fine in other countries. Currently, I live under a national health care plan in Japan and I can honestly tell you that it works just fine. I had to have a wisdom tooth extracted because it became infected. It was frightening, but everything worked out just fine. In fact, I’m considering having the rest of my wisdom teeth extracted here because, when I move back to America, I won’t have health care coverage anymore, and, even if I do get tentative coverage, it almost certainly won’t include a dental plan. At least, not until I get a nice job somewhere.

I admit, my experience isn’t proof that nationalized health care will work well for America, but I think it’s evidence of the struggles people go through. I’d like to see the candidates take a stronger stance on the issue in the upcoming election because this is an issue that normal Americans cope with on a daily basis and leaving it alone won’t make it go away.