Reforming the US healthcare system to make it universal is one of the promises of Obama whose first step in a long journey was signing a bill that expands an existing program to provide health coverage to 3.5 million children from families with low incomes. Expanding this law and extending it until 2013 means that 3.5 million children will join the 7.4 million that are already part of it. This program also includes a provision allowing documented immigrants under 21 years of age to immediately take part in the program, not after a waiting period of five years.
The healthcare debate had been: Do we want a child health program that covers all children in the US regardless of their ability to pay? Obama’s response was signing the law. He met the debate point blank, saying that in a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to negotiations. Healthcare is universal and should be accessible to everyone. For Obama, the concept of healthcare should be right.
It is mind-boggling that the biggest economy in the world need even to debate on the universality of healthcare. Those who oppose ‘socialized healthcare’ should realize that not ensuring the health of populations, especially the young, is ultimately not sustainable because they are the future generations of the country.
Some people are bright, while some merely pretend to be.
Via TIME
