As Puerto Rico’s economy continues to struggle, there is now news that their Medicare program is going into turmoil. These huge cuts out of their funding will have a disastrous effect on the island; 60% of the people in Puerto Rico are on this Medicare or Medicaid plan. The doctors that are helping on the island are fleeing to the main land to work a ‘less stressful’ job in the medical field. Some contracts are even being terminated due to the decrease in the budget. Some medications and treatments will no longer be available for the rapidly aging population and this will cause the average life expectancy in Puerto Rico to decline. The Medicare program receives federal and commonwealth funds, but these are estimated to run out by the end of next year. Puerto Rico has the highest rate of diabetes and asthma in the US so the 900,000 people who would be cut from this program will no longer be able to afford their medications which will likely have fatal results. This appeals to pathos because there has been protests and rallies in Washington for this poverty-stricken island. People can’t just ignore the the ill and dying, citizensĀ are guilty that the island does not have the same funding as the states do. They feel the need to do something for Puerto Rico. This island is helpless and they need the government to supply them with what is necessary for their health and future generations.
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Annie Elizabeth Ellis says
Reading this made me feel very sympathetic for the people who currently live in Puerto Rico. I can’t imagine how challenging it is for them to deal with these struggles. Adding the fact “Puerto Rico has the highest rate of diabetes and asthma in the US so the 900,000 people who would be cut from this program will no longer be able to afford their medications which will likely have fatal results” build this post’s credibility and makes it seem researched and well balanced. Good job!
Chris McDonough says
I thought this was a very interesting choice of topic and something that I feel like a lot of Americans don’t have much of an understanding of. I liked how you used the evidence of the pathos appeal to show how this is such an issue.