'The New American Story' By Bill Bradley-Health Care

As a nurse in the healthcare field for the last eight years, I’ve taken care of individuals from all walks of life. I’ve seen first hand the difference in quality of treatment received from persons who have insurance, who private pay and those without insurance or rely on Medicare/Medicaid. I’ve also had my fair share of turns at being the patient. I’d like to mention that I’ve gone without my own health insurance for the last five years-I simply can not afford it. 

In the first section of chapter 7(and throughout the chapter) in Bill Bradley’s book “The New American Story,” he dedicates his views on the current state of American health care and his opinions on how to change things, for the better. 

The current view of American health care is the idea to push more costs onto the consumer, offer flexible spending accounts (used for estimating medical expenses for the future year and pre-taxed) and make it cheaper for employers to offer insurance packages that come with high deductibles. This current view comes from the notion that if Americans would carry more of the expenses-they stop over utilizing the health care system. While this current idea might sound like a simple rational solution, it does not make much sense to the population who can’t even make ends meet before factoring in health costs. 

Mr. Bradley’s views on the above mentioned ideas are similar to the last statement. He states adding high deductible insurance policies and flexible spending accounts for health leaves out millions of Americans-those who are uninsured, unemployed or homeless. Mr. Bradley also believes that flexible spending accounts mean just another tax loophole for the wealthy. 

Another view of Mr. Bradley, pertaining to the flexible spending accounts and the current view of health care (the belief that if Americans paid more they would visit the doctors less) is the importance of regular doctor visits. Regular check-ups help spot issues early. The earlier something is diagnosed, the quicker and cheaper the treatments. Mr. Bradley states that 80% of America’s health care costs are run up by 20% of the population that needs serious procedures. By hoping individuals will skip routine check-ups that cost little, we are driving up costs. 

A quote from this chapter “But the major flaw in the story we are told about health care is the failure to acknowledge that systemic problems require systemic, not piecemeal remedies.” Several examples are given such as: Eliminating medical errors. Instead of history repeating itself, steps should be made to make it easier to report errors and better implementation of corrective action so medical staff does not keep repeating the same mistakes. Other examples are given on systemic issues. 

A section of the health care chapter covers the topic of the uninsured. As technology has allowed us to become well advanced in the medical field, the current system has us lacking (thought taken from Mr. Bradley’s chapter.) It is in this section where Mr. Bradley indicates that currently 46 million Americans have no health insurance. 

Covering the topic of the high cost of health care it is here where Mr. Bradley goes into detail just exactly what life is like for average hard working Americans. Every 30 seconds (according to information gathered by Mr. Bradley) someone in the United States files for bankruptcy due to medical bills/health conditions. (Laws are currently changing) The cost of malpractice insurance is causing good physicians to quit practicing medicine. The fear of lawsuits is constantly on the minds of all health care workers. 

Also covered in this chapter is the idea of socialized medicine. Mr. Bradley explains that in 2000 when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, he made health care the center of his campaign. His vision was universal access without making it mandatory to enroll, allowing private insurance groups to still offer competitive packages, keeping the government involved by helping people pay for their health care with subsidies based on income. Mr. Bradley’s vision was also for community involvement through education and other means. Mr. Bradley discusses in this chapter the hurdles he met along the way with his visions and his ultimate plan for Medicaid. 

In the final section of this chapter, Mr. Bradley goes into great detail about ‘The New Story’ for health care. This new story has a foundation. To quote from the chapter; “Health care should be a right. But rights come with responsibilities attached. Individuals must take responsibility for their on health by how they behave.” 

Mr. Bradley’s plan for American health care would focus on patient’s quality of care; all American’s having health care and individuals doing their part to stay healthy. There are several other visions for this new plan listed in this chapter. 

Mr. Bradley lists several key factors in his book in which he believes are the way to systemic positive changes in health care. One of these changes includes banning trans-fat. Obesity is a real problem in the United States and leads to several major health consequences. He also lists charging more for health insurance policies to those who refuse to change their self destructive ways (over eating and smoking etc.) 

At the rate we are going now, we are losing good quality medical staff. Individuals are receiving substandard care and more and more Americans are losing their health care coverage everyday. 

Nobody likes change. Mr. Bradley feels that the poor are afraid to lose their Medicaid because they think even a bad system is better then none. Those making just enough to get by are resentful of the wealthy. The wealthy are resentful of the middle and lower class because they feel they have worked hard to earn their income and don’t feel as if they should carry the burden of others. 

Health care is not a priority in the United States. Many may argue that it is but it is clear that it is not. Something has to give. Nobody thinks about health care until they become ill. Even when some do become ill, they have to choose their health over their shelter, family, meals and the like.

Mr. Bradley does an excellent job of painting you an easy to understand picture of health care reform. There are several lessions to be learned in this book, not only about health care but about America in general.