I am just going to say it: Universal health care, how exciting is that? Objectivity is the key to reading this article. So put your political identity to the side. Now, I am no economist. I am not here to tell you what you should believe; rather, I am presenting you with some pros and cons about universal health care.
Just to give a brief background on our current health care systems, the U.S. healthcare system has its programs in place to provide low-cost medical services, but only to certain groups who are able to qualify for programs like Medicare, Medicaid or the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you do not qualify for these programs, there are also insurance companies which can help people with their medical payments as well as help or get rid of copays on prescriptions and other medications. Although, if you do not have insurance, well, try not to get sick or break any bones.
On the other hand, universal health care would allow citizens from all different socioeconomic backgrounds to have access to medical services. It would mainly be funded through taxes, with the government controlling and negotiating prices. This would take the burden of hefty health care bills off the backs of the American people.
Universal health care would allow for equal and fair medical treatment for all citizens. It would also help doctors who have to deal with administrative costs that come from private insurance companies. The goal with universal health care would be to provide an equality in medical service to the American people.
Now that you have the general idea of what universal health care strives for, I am going to go over some of the cons. There is no perfect system out there and we cannot deny flaws, so here we go.
To begin, there have been reports of long waitlists for medical treatment; even for urgent treatment, people have been put on hold. Health care costs can also overwhelm government budgets; according to The Balance, “some Canadian provinces spend almost 40% of their budgets on health care.”
Sadly, in our ever-polarizing country, health care has become a divisive topic. No matter where you stand politically, the lives of others should be taken into account when you are faced with big decisions, like that of supporting or not supporting universal health care. Obviously, do not ignore your own needs, but you shouldn’t ignore the needs of others either. There will always be flaws in any system; you cannot expect perfection in this world. But, you can strive toward love and understanding. It is good to acknowledge flaws, but do not let one flaw deter you from making decisions.
Universal health care looks past one’s economic standing and seeks to provide quality healthcare to all citizens.
Do your research and find out where you stand but also be willing to listen to others.
