Need-Blind Healthcare: The Essential Right for All
TL/DR –
The article discusses the issue of older adults struggling to find professional mental health care, largely due to low payments and bureaucratic hassles causing nearly half of behavioral specialists to opt out of Medicare. Advocates for Medicare expansion acknowledge that bias surrounding healthcare for older adults limits appropriate treatment and change will require more than what Congress can provide. The article argues that access to healthcare should be universal, regardless of factors such as age, background, disability, or health insurance status, asserting that health care is a right and not a privilege.
Expanded Medicare Mental Health Care for Seniors: A Pressing Need
The Health & Science article published on October 31, titled “Medicare to expand mental health care options“, discussed the struggles seniors face in seeking mental health care. The piece underscored that nearly half of behavioral health specialists shun Medicare due to meager payments and administrative hassles.
The Issue of Healthcare Bias and the Need for Policy Change
Advocates for Medicare expansion agree that older adults are often sidelined when it comes to adequate health care. They assert that this issue demands a far-reaching solution beyond Congress’s capabilities. While Medicare expansion is necessary, it isn’t a one-stop solution. There’s a moral question to consider; should the provision of healthcare services hinge on a patient’s insurance status? Equitable access to healthcare should be universal, regardless of age, socio-economic background, or disabilities.
Lessons from Need-Blind Admissions and Impartial Scientific Research
Consider the model of need-blind admissions colleges, which admit students irrespective of their financial status, resulting in higher enrolment of students needing financial aid. Similarly, scientists conducting experiments need to be impartial about the treatments subjects receive to avoid skewed results. This philosophy should extend to healthcare access. All Americans should be entitled to healthcare, unrestricted by their insurance coverage. Healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
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