Perry... plain wrong about health care

In the article, For better health, pay Perry no mind, the author talks about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which just recently the Supreme Court held constitutional. The author, not specified by the newspaper, talks specifically about the provisions of the Act that would establish an insurance exchange and expand Medicaid. Recently, governor Rick Perry stated he has no plans to follow the federal law. Likewise, Republican legislators are likely to follow suit and attempt strike down the expansion of Medicaid, as the Supreme Court said states could do.

            For the rate of people uninsured, Texas ranks number one. About 25 percent of the population of Texas currently has no health insurance. The author believes that the federal Health Care Law is a necessary help. Thus, he/she is urging people to not follow Perry’s lead and indeed support the law. The author states that the people hurt most by the uninsured are actually the current insured health recipients. Since some hospitals incur treatment payments from uninsured patients onto insured patients, the new law requiring all citizens to carry health insurance would lessen the cost for the insured patients. Additionally, citizens in hospital districts pay higher tax rates in order for hospitals to be able to help the uninsured.

            The author seems to be targeting certain audiences. For one, the author targets all Texans in the sense that he/she believes they should support the new health care law. Additionally, the author makes a plea to legislators, Republicans especially, to not follow in Perry’s footsteps and indeed endorse the law. It is quite peculiar that The Statesmen does not list the specific author of this piece. One reason may be that knowing the author might lead people to have preconceived ideas about the piece before it is written. If a reader knows the political stance, or previous opinion, of an author, that might sway them. Since the article is on The Statesmen’s website, I take it as credible. The Austin American Statesmen is a very reputable newspaper and they would not knowingly post an editorial that is unfairly biased or, outright false. The facts listed in the editorial are indeed facts that I have seen said about the Health Care Law elsewhere.

            Ultimately, the author makes a very valid point in the fact that Texas’ health care is lacking. Anyone and everyone can make that assumption through the fact that Texas has so many uninsured citizens. With these facts present, as well arguments made by the author, I completely agree that Texans, as well as legislators, should follow the federal law and not Perry.