I worked as a physician in Germany and the last 16 years in the US. I have followed the discussion about Obama Care with interest - I have seen FOX having made a big fuzz about 'Obamacare' and I see again the emotions running high in current town hall meetings. I am an Independent and I feel not being aligned with any ideology but with common sense and reasoning.
Few statements of common sense:
- Health care is ALWAYS in discussion in any country - and there will never be the final answer to the problems we all face.
2.) how the media in the USA did polarize the important issue of health care made me speechless over the last several years
3.) It is NOT about I am against or I am in favor of Obamacare - INSTEAD it is about fixing issues - making it better
4.) Health care is not about Ideology - there are always elements of government rules (even in the US before Obamacare: medicare for example) in place and there are always market elements at work (even in Cuba people with money buy better health care)
From my subjective physician perspective 'Obamacare (ACA)' did without any doubt give access to more Americans to health care - that is something good - without any doubt. To get rid of life time caps and pre existing conditions was a long overdue humane act. NOW this does drive up the premiums of some - because it is an act of SOLIDARITY - a word i missed in the discussion between Cruz and Sanders 2 weeks ago .
There are problems with the ACA and YES reforms are reasonable and should be pursued - but to put it into the ideological grinder and use phrases 'repeal Obamacare' etc is just not giving reality respect.
The first step for a reasonable debate - without that toxic polarization (which is so great for the media) - would be from the president to admit the good parts of Obamacare and promise to work on the weak parts .