Rane Gascoyne

President Barrack Obama's new health care plan, which was presented to Congress on September 8, 2009, in Washington D.C., has been in the public eye for quite some time now. Although some do not agree entirely, others feel it is time for some change to take place. There are many new ideas being proposed in hopes of making the United States a better place to live for its citizens. Under the current health care system, numerous Americans are not able to get proper health care. Some people have been turned down to get care by their insurance company for reasons like having a pre-existing health condition.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that "of all forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."

The two main goals of the new plan include making health care more available and lowering the cost so that more people can afford doctor visits and other health related needs. "Under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance - just as most states require you to carry auto insurance," said Obama.

About 60 percent of the country gets health care through their work. In hopes of broadening coverage, Obama's plan says that large employers that do not offer some sort of health care coverage for its workers may have to pay higher taxes.

To help people who have to buy insurance on their own, the plan creates an exchange, a virtual marketplace where individuals and small businesses can comparison shop. People will no longer be turned down by insurance companies if they have a pre-existing medical condition. One of the options on the exchange will be a public option, run by the government, that offers basic coverage.

"I think it is pretty clear that we want a strong public option in the legislation," said Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

This new plan also creates competition between insurance companies in order to keep them in line.

In order to reach out and give more coverage to the poor, the plan expands eligibility for programs like Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Under this proposal everyone will be covered, either through their employer or through the exchange. Those who don't buy insurance will have to pay a penalty on their taxes.

To reduce inefficiency and duplication of services, the government will invest in electronic health records, so doctors can see which tests and procedures patients have already had.

More scientific research will be done to find the treatments that are most effective. The government hopes easy-to-access information for doctors, patients and insurance companies will reduce procedures and treatments that do not really work.

The new rules established by the health care plan also aim to pay doctors for good patient outcomes instead of paying them per procedure. "We should not fear the future, we should shape it," said Obama in closing his health care speech. "I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test."