I wake up mad, and it is no one's fault but my own. I forgot to turn in the form that waives Miami University's health insurance again. I filled it out only to realize I missed the deadline by a week, so I spend the rest of the morning on the phone with Miami's Student Health Services (SHS). SHS agreed to give people like me one more day to get their ducks in a row and avoid the $774 charge that is both unnecessary and useless. I am stressed about too much health insurance. I am the minority.
President Barack Obama gave a speech Sept. 9 detailing his plan for healthcare reform in the United States. Since that day I have yet to find a college student who agrees with it. The criticism is widespread, as it should be among a generation that has seen a government fail and won't let it happen again. The disapproval usually centers on heavy- handed government interference.
However, Jon Stewart proved the ridiculousness of this claim when h.e compared it to education. Americans are happy to fund public schools, but somehow find funding health insurance, a life or death issue, to be excessive. Rock the Vote recently announced that in the college student age group (age 19 to 29) alone, one in three went without health care last year. If you were in an enormous car accident tomorrow, it's likely you wouldn't pay a dime. But most people would, and accidents happen.
Obama's healthcare plan is simple: the government is getting involved. My dad disagrees with this, and maybe you do, too. But at least we owe our president a close consideration of exactly what he is planning to do. Many do not realize that those who already have health insurance do not have to do anything. Insurance companies have benefited from the large market they control and have spent millions of dollars making sure people like us, the young, healthy middle class, are what they get. Obama takes issue with a small sliver of Americans enjoying this protection, and so do I.
Health insurance is not affordable for everyone and therefore is a problem. The bill is a way for all Americans, rich and poor, to protect themselves. Will insurance companies have to lower their premiums? Yes. Will they lose money from the public insurance option offered by our government? Absolutely. If it saves lives, nothing else matters.
As Obama summarized in his speech, "I will not back down on the basic principal that if Americans can't find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice."
I have never lived a day without health insurance, I am not alone. It is hard for me to imagine why the government needs to step in on an issue that seems uncomplicated.
But it is complicated and it needs work. It is time to take responsibility for our entire nation, not just the privileged few. Obama's plan is not perfect, but nothing human can be.
Abby Haglage haglagag@muohio.edu
