Reflection Blog for Chapter 8 Even though the United States has some of the highest qualified doctors and some of the most advanced technology in the world, not all Americans has access to this high quality health care especially the poor, the elderly and the very young. The fact is the uninsured population is rising while health care cost are skyrocketing and we live in a country where basic health care is denied to those in need everyday. An elderly person should not have to decide between medication and food. The number one cause of bankruptcy in America is medical bills. Americans fear the cost of a universal health care system that is working well in other countries. This fear is unfounded though because they are already paying for it through waste, abuse and fraud in our for-profit hospitals. Only thing is, sick people are not the ones benefiting. (Cowles, L.A.F., 2003)In some cases, your medical treatment can be determined by a third party whose only interest is in keeping your health care cost low so that the money saved can be distributed to the CEO's of the corporation they work for. This may sound jaded, but it is a fact. The bright side is, there is a trend that is focusing on promotion and education for a healthy lifestyle and prevention of disease. This focus is on preventing rather that curing and should prove to be more cost effective, not to mention the emotional toll that a disease can have on an individual as well as their family. This is a positive step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the power goes in the direction of the money flow and the American Medical Association is much, much more powerful than all of the poor American put together. References Cowles, L. A. (2003). Social work in the health field: A care perspective. New York: Haworth Social Work Practice Press.