Thomas A. Sharon, R.N., M.P.H.

The seventh new national health care priority is to ensure that all segments of the U.S. population have equal access. When Obama went along with eliminating the public option as a compromise to stop the insurance lobby from turning the legislative effort into the unavoidable train wreck that it became, he destroyed the hope of universal access. Undeniably, we have some of the best medical technology in the world, but about half the population does not have access to all of it. For the bottom third of this multi-tier system, health care is no better than most third world countries who have no coverage for 95 percent of their population other than poorly equipped government hospitals. Thus there are millions in the United States who are dying or becoming disabled from treatable conditions.

Therefore the big political debate is over the question of “What is the moral imperative of our society?” Is it okay to deny access to 50 million people because they are either self-employed, underemployed, unemployed or depend on Medicaid, or can we find some common ground where the bottom rungs can get more while those at the top make do with a little less? The answer depends on who you ask. The leftists have no problem with causing a train wreck because they don’t like the fact that some cars are restricted to those who can pay for first class and the conservatives want no part of any equalization effort that might derail the first class compartments. However, since the health care system in its current state will destroy our economy in the next two decades even with the inequalities unresolved, we have to focus on making it more cost effective before we can equalize all disparities.

Access to healthcare also means having adequate supplies to meet the needs of an aging population with soaring demand. We are now experiencing severe shortages of 178 life-saving prescription drugs as the video below states. I agree with President Obama that, there needs to be an investigation of the pharmaceutical industry to root out hording and price-gouging.

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