Subsidizing Health Insurance

Health insurance can be very costly, and is therefore often out of reach for
lower and moderate income families, particularly if they are not offered
health benefits through their employment. To make healthcare obtainable,
people often sign up for the President Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA),
which includes provisions to provide health care coverage to moderate to low
income families who previously did not have such coverage.
The ACA offers subsidies to reduce monthly premiums to provide the
intended universal access to affordable health care insurance. There are
generally two types of subsidies that are available under the ACA. One type
of subsidy is called the premium tax credit, while the second type known is
known as financial assistance. Neither subsidy is permanent for any
particular enrollee, as the amount and nature of the subsidies are based on
an enrollees financial need at that time.
The premium tax credit works to reduce health insurance enrollees monthly
payments for health care coverage. As the term premium tax credit
suggests, the benefit to the enrollee comes in the form of an annual tax
credit, documented by a new schedule in the enrollees annual income tax
return filing.
On the other hand, financial assistance is an up-front cost-sharing subsidy
designed to reduce enrollees out-of-pocket costs when they need to go to
the doctor or experience a stay in the hospital or other medical facility. Thus,
for an enrollee who qualifies for financial assistance, that enrollees copayment to the medical provider or monthly premiums owed to the health
insurer would be decreased from what those costs would be without the ACA.
Regarding subsidizing health insurance, my position is in favor of providing
greater access to health care to all American citizens, not just the ones who
are wealthy or the ones who work for large corporate employers. That is
because I believe access to health care especially in the richest country in
the history of the world, with the highest level of quality medicine provided
by its doctors and other health care professionals is a basic right that
should be afforded to everyone. In my view, access to health care in
America should not be a privilege, but rather, a fundamental entitlement
held by all citizens. After all, this countrys founding ideals arose in part from
the principle that one had the right to pursue prosperity and happiness. One
cannot do that without the physical health that should be maintained when
logistics and availability allow such maintenance to occur. That is why
subsidizing health insurance is a positive, essential step in American
domestic policy, and one that has been long overdue, with various
Presidential administrations having discussed issues concerning health care
for decades before President Obama was able to get the ACA to obtain the
required Congressional approval to pass it into law.
Without access to affordable health care for all Americans, then health
coverage and access to quality doctors and hospitals would remain

something only for the wealthy or the well-employed. Those Americans who
are poor and born into economic situations due to the accident of birth would
not be given the same opportunities at a basic thing like physical health.
That is not the America that I want to live in, as we all deserve and need
affordable healthcare, in my opinion.

Foreign Policy
CHINA
It is my position that rather than viewing China as an enemy or an automatic
rival, both economically and militarily, America should adopt a policy of
working together with China to welcome it as another global superpower,
with the objective of creating an important ally in the Far East akin to having
the United Kingdom as a strong American ally in Europe. In other words, for
our own benefit, as well as the benefit of the international community and
global economy, American should work to partner with China. That is largely
due to the fact that we cannot fight the inevitable in terms of Chinas growth
and rise as a world superpower to match Americas military strength and
eventually exceed Americas economic strength.
The facts are undeniable: China has a huge population and vast workforce, a
fast growing, comprehensive economy of nearly limitless ceiling, and large,
modern, strong military with nuclear capability. It has an authoritarian
central government, too, that can bring all of these elements together to
engage in a single-minded purpose, good or bad, when necessity calls for
China to act domestically or internationally. Thus, the potential rewards to
America in creating a lasting, mutually beneficial partnership with China in
Asia are great, while the potential negatives to America if China becomes a
distrusting, disruptive rival and possibly even a direct enemy can be
disastrous, both to America and the world. It is in everyones best interests
that the worlds two largest powers cooperate with each other to ensure
global stability and prosperity.
Although some people suggest that China may pose a security threat to
America in the Asia-Pacific region or even globally, the reality is that America
already has existing strong allies in Asia in countries like South Korea, Japan,
the Philippines, and more. Thus, China has a strong interest in maintaining
positive diplomatic ties with America, as China knows that America and
Americas allies in the region together arguably pose a greater security
threat to China than the other way around.
The United States and China affirm that innovation is a critical driver of
economic development, job creation, and shared prosperity and that
innovation plays a crucial role in developing solutions to domestic, global,
and societal challenges. Furthermore, each side recognizes that the ability
for the United States and China to trade, do business, and innovate together

promotes prosperity for the people of our two nations and contributes to the
growth of the global economy.
The bottom line is that we need keep a strong relationship with China. Much
like with Germany in Europe, which was once a direct enemy to America and
now is an ally even though it has continental Europes largest population
outside of Russia and Europes strongest economy, I believe that Americas
ability to maintain its global influence and power largely depends on
fostering positive ties with China.

Citations
Explaining Health Care Reform: Questions About Health Insurance
Subsidies. The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation Family. November 01, 2016.
www.kff.org
"Fact Sheet: U.S.-China Economic Relations." The White House. Accessed
September 04, 2016. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2016/09/04/fact-sheet-us-china-economic-relations.
Greenberg, Edward. Problems of the Post-Cold War World. Pearson Education.
Print. 2011.