Parts of Obamacare Should Be Kept

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to render a decision next week regarding whether President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is constitutional. The law, if it doesn't pass constitutional muster, could be struck down entirely or parts could be implemented, while others could not. While I'm not in favor of the government mandating people purchase health insurance or taking over the health care industry, I do think there are some good parts to the law that should remain in place.

I like the idea of people being able to stay on their parents' insurance until they reach the age of 26. Life is hard, particularly when you're first starting out on your own. It makes sense that parents should be able to reach the decision to cover their adult children on their insurance if they choose to do that. While I see the point of insurance companies to a point of not wanting to provide coverage for entire generations of people on one person's policy, I don't think asking to allow parents to help their kids out in this way is an unreasonable request.

I also believe that requiring insurance companies to cover people with preexisting medical conditions is a good thing. I have known too many people who were afraid to leave their job in favor of a better opportunity for themselves solely due to having a preexisting medical condition or having a family member with a preexisting condition, and the fear they would not be able to get insurance. It seems pretty barbaric to me that the people who need medical insurance the most have a hard time getting it, while those who are healthy and will probably remain so are able to find insurance without a problem.

Of course, I think both of these things are necessary temporary measures. Neither address the fact that health care is too expensive. Neither addresses price gouging in the health care industry or the need for a medical degree to even understand the services one needs or how to go about getting them affordably.

Bottom line: It seems that insurance companies and ridiculous costs are the main problem with our health care system as it is. We're being given a choice: have the government take over the health care system, or continuing letting the insurance companies run it. Both options come with extreme problems, and both options are going to be costly to implement. I think the best solution is a compromise. Break down the giant law and keep the parts that work and that don't infringe on our freedoms. And realize that, whatever the law is, there is so much more work to do in the matter.

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