The United States has a flawed health system; many ideas for policies that will improve the current system have been proposed among them is universal health care. Universal health care is an idea that states all citizens should have the means to utilize quality health care resources of a nation without regard of their financial position. Many countries around the world have universal health care, or are attempting to form some type of universal health care. So why doesn't the United States follow suit? If the United States decides to impose a universal health care plan will this fix the problems with health care that are facing Americans today?
National health care is a provision found in countries including France, Canada, and the UK. A comparison between these three countries and the United States shows a significant difference in spending with a smaller variation for life expectancy. Logically thinking it could be predicted that a larger input would produce a larger output, but in the scenario of health care this is not the case. As presented by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2004 the following table displays the differences in spending and life expectancy experienced by each of the four countries. 
Based on the chart why is it that the US has a lower life expectancy while participating in higher spending? The difference could be contributed to illnesses that are more prominent in the US than in other countries, but what matters is whether or not these factors over weigh the effect of a lack of health care coverage on the life expectancy for citizens. The answers to these questions I believe will help determine if a universal health care policy is the best plan for the United States.
8 comments:
I definitely think that we need a universal health care system in the United States because many people have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on hospital visits and surgeries every year, even with health insurance. There are many people without health insurance in the US and if something bad were to happen to them, their hospital bills could burden them severely. In addition, I believe that private companies running health insurance is wrong because all they are after is money, which probably accounts for the discrepancy between the money spent on health care in Canada, UK, France and the US.
It's also interesting to see that the US has the highest number of doctors per 1,000 people (excluding France), and yet we have the lowest life expectancy. I think this has a lot to do with the cost of health care. A hospital stay (including ambulance, surgery, ect.) for just a few days can rack up tens of thousands of dollars. This is an enormous amount for a low income family to pay, which is why often poor people are unable to get the care they need. I also agree with joe here, in that private insurance companies are more concerned with saving money than helping people, which causes people with insurance to pay more than they should from their own pocket.
With private companies that running health insurance it would be safe to say that the companies are making some sort of profit, that is why there in business. The alternative to having privately run insurance is to have a government run insurance plan, this would be the case in universal health care, but some citizens don't like the idea of the government handling both their taxes and health care. If the government has problems within the operations it handles now, why should it be trusted to handle the health of citizens?
jatate,
Your right, the United States clearly has more resources that can be put toward health care than many countries. Also the research that has been done in the U.S. to increase our knowledge about health care has improved the abilities of doctors to care for patients. The knowledge gained by this research is shared, which may account for some of the excess spending of the U.S. on health care as a leader in health research. In this sense the U.S. spending is benefiting other countries who benefit from the information without having to spend money or time on the research. The inability of the poor to pay for health care is an issue that many non-profit organizations strive to correct, for this reason the group that receives the hardest blow from increased health care costs is low income citizens (including students). The hospital bills that families are faced with can be overwhelming and although the insurance companies are there to provide financial aid, they don't pay for everything. The result of these fees is a neglect of health care resources in the U.S. if the prices were reduced however the resources could be exploited by citizens.
Well, I've decided to play the devil's advocate.
I don't know...I've always thought that universal health care was a great idea. And yet, I think there is a reason why so many people from Canada come to the U.S. to receive treatment for illnesses. The long lines and the substandard care patients receive are only a couple of the things flawed about the system. Doctors are also deterred from the system because of the substantial pay cut.
I'm not saying that the U.S has it right, just that I'm not sure that a universal health care system is a cure all, excuse the pun.
I have always heard how great Universal health care would be, but how would this be funded? It seems like it would take a lot of tax dollars to support everyone who is unable to pay for their healthcare. I am all for everyone having access to it, but is it really feasible?
Lauren, one aspect of the universal health care system in Canada that doesn't plague the U.S. is insufficient funding. With large estimates of the excess funds in health care, America has the budget capable of supplying an efficient universal health care system. Each year Americans spend more and more on health care it would make more sense that the fears of long waits would be arrived at by sticking with the current system than changing to the new. Even now the health care system isn't efficient with waiting rooms and paperwork that have to be filled out and filed.
Yes universal health care is a feasible plan, the funds that would be saved by initiating the plan would outweigh the increased taxes and budget costs that could provide funds.
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