Kyminis E.

Vialet
Hickory Hall 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina 28223 kvialet@uncc.edu

March 20, 2013

Beth Howard Women's Health Magazine 33 E. Minor Street Emmaus, PA 18098

Dear Ms. Howard,

On January 20, 2009 President Elect Barack Obama was sworn in to the white house. During his campaign, one of President Obamas main platforms was health insurance. He decided that too many Americans were without health insurance and thus maid a goal to make it more affordable. In 2010 President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. We are currently in 2013 and still have one more year until this is in full effect. (Obama Care Facts). What will this plan really do for America? Will insurance truly become more affordable? How much more Americans will now be able to afford insurance? What causes insurance prices to initially be so? In your article you discussed five reasons behind why insurance is so high. But these reasons are beyond the publics control. Why is it that doctors are afraid to get sued? Were they not trained properly? Why is insurance higher for females than males? Your article discusses many issues that deal with the training of healthcare providers and also how insurance companies run their business. In the article it states that five reasons for rising healthcare cost are that Your doctor is freaked about getting sued, one third of healthcare fees paid to insurance companies all go toward administrative costs, if you are a female you are likely to receive higher premiums because of how often you visit the doctor, Your insurer would rather pay to treat a disease than to prevent one, and Your doctor is paid for how much he does for you not how well he cares for you. This article also notes five ways to lower your costs: Negotiate with
Comment [BC1]: Consider changing up your sentence structure, since they all call for a complete stop at the end, which interrupts the flow of ideas, and since they all mirror each other.

Kyminis E. Vialet
Hickory Hall 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina 28223 kvialet@uncc.edu your provider, Consider COBRA carefully, Keep records of your health care expenses, Get you insurer to pay for more coverage, and Find an advocate. Although all of these are methods for lowering insurance rates; this still will not solve the problem of unaffordable insurance prices. The insurance system needs to be completely revamped. Why should females be forced to pay higher insurance rates simply because they are females? Why do doctors have such a feared of being sued? And arent doctors supposed to care more about the overall well being of their patients rather than how much money they can make off of someone? The reasons giving for high insurance rates all goes back to proving that greed is money and money is power. Doctors are so concerned with how much money they would be able to make if they continuously make you visit them. Insurance companies are concerned with just running their big business rather than taking care of their clientele. If Americans first learn to value their health and take care of their bodies we will all have a healthier community. Secondly doctors need to trust in the training giving to them in medical school, four years of medical school should be long enough to know what health issues you are dealing with in a patient. Doctors should not have such a drastic fear of messing up, if you were trained well, that you have to over-charge patients thus overcharging insurance companies. This is called malpractice. Malpractice is a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage (Marriam-Webster). In other words it is a doctors failure to treat a patient properly for a sickness, injury, or other related illness. When they over charge, then, us again the clientele, have a hire insurance premium. This is a never ending cycle. Insurance rates also should not be determined on your gender. The rates should be determined on your actual health and well being. Not on gender, age or race but your health as an individual. Females are usually forced to pay higher health insurance premiums than males, simply because women ranging from ages 19-55 tend to use healthcare services more. Women in this age category are in child bearing age and are also more likely to do annual checkups and
Comment [BC4]: What does this never-ending cycle elicit? Comment [BC3]: It seems that this paragraph restates what you have already said. Comment [BC2]: Your audience will already know what she has written in her article, so theres no need to tell her again. Instead, reiterate what she says as you begin talking about each of your points.

Kyminis E. Vialet
Hickory Hall 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina 28223 kvialet@uncc.edu medical exams. According to several sources, including the New York Times, women pay thirtyone to fifty percent more in insurance premiums than men do. There is a lot that can be done about health insurance whether it is through government regulation and funding, individual ways like the ones mentioned in the article, or a total revamp of the healthcare system. But something needs to be done and soon. We cannot keep allowing people to go without proper medical care simply because they cannot afford health insurance. Although this article provides individual ways to fix the problem it still wont fix health care in America. Sincerely,
Comment [BC5]: The argument that will be put against your idea is that since women do use those services more, their premiums should be higher. You say that they shouldnt, but you dont give a reason why. Comment [BC6]: You need to be the one to say what needs to be done. Give them a solution.

Kyminis E. Vialet

Comment [BC7]: Kyminis, You make some great points in your letter, and in many cases, I can see where you are going with them. However, in order to strengthen this letter, work to give more concrete information and more suggestions about what should be done. Much of the letter says that the current and future state of affairs is not the way to go, but you dont give us a solution. Giving solutions based on your own expertise will allow your letter to be more dynamic, and as you find more to include, this will strengthen your argument. Im looking forward to seeing how youll strengthen this letter for the portfolio! -Ms. C