Most everyone has heard the phrase “quality over quantity” at some point in his or her life. Even though it could be considered cliché, the phrase has a certain amount of truth. A large quantity of products could never replace the value of a quality one. It would seem that a phrase so ingrained into the minds of people would be difficult to forget, yet looking at the current state of the healthcare bill, one would never know.

The United States is on the verge of passing a bill that will reform the way healthcare is treated in this country. This sounds like a wonderful plan. Every system needs reevaluation and reform every once in a while. What sounds good in theory, however, is not always as wonderful in practice.

As of now, people on the government healthcare plans, Medicare and Medicaid, have an enormously difficult time finding a physician willing to treat them. The effects of putting a significantly larger number of people on programs like this are almost unimaginable. People would be denied treatment, treatment they were promised, because to treat them would put the physicians out of business.

Right now, the healthcare bill is highly obscured and the details are unknown. Two major points that are clear, however, are the government’s attempt to reduce cost and cover those citizens who previously did not have coverage. On their own, these concepts are novel ideas and should be seriously considered.

Now, though, they come at a cost, one greater than a monetary one. They come at the cost of quality treatment, the treatment that people deserve and should be able to expect. I agree, yes, that the government should attempt to find a way to reduce the cost of healthcare.  I agree, yes, that the government should attempt to find a way to cover every citizen of the United States. I disagree, however, that the government should attempt to fulfill these at the cost of quality.

The government, rather than focusing their energies on minimizing cost and maximizing coverage, should focus on the quality of care. If the quality of care is maintained, the others will follow.