JOHN Q
The health insurance of John Q does not cover the entire needed amount for his son’s heart transplant because the company that employed him changed the insurance plan to a cheaper option. He must raise 75,000- 30% of the transplant fee in order to meet the needed amount. He sold all his possessions but was not able to have the amount. Until such time that, there is no other option for him but to hostage the hospital particularly the emergency room for the life of his child, Michael.
The health insurance helped a lot on his son’s medications but only in a limited basis as proved by the delay of the heart transplant operation on Michael. This case usually happens in reality, some inside United States, but mostly outside the state particularly in Asian countries.
Health insurance is beneficial to everybody. If one has it, like John Q, his family can also share benefits. It covers a lot- hospital bills, medicines, healthcare professionals, but not all. The case of Michael is a proof of this.
The value of health insurance depends on a person’s occupation status, income and institution that employs him. If only the company did not change the insurance of John into cheaper option, or he has a higher income or higher occupation level, maybe he has met the required amount needed to do the transplant. The hostage taking must have avoided.
The HMO helped a lot on Michael’s medication, as a HMO must be. However, it is limited, too. As seen in the movie, HMOs sometimes has discrimination- by the medical personnel belongs to it mostly, of course. The doctor did not pay enough attention on John because of his status in life. It was during their conversation in the hospital hallway where the doctor paid more attention to a patient and tried to ignore John. Some of the employees and even the hospital, even though it is not that obvious has discriminated John’s family because of their social structure.
HMO and health insurance help every person a lot. In the US where health insurance is required, many are garnering benefits. It is up for a person to know how he can be able to garner benefit from both.
