Where Do We Stand? What comes to mind when one reflects on an under-developed, third-world country? Many envision extreme poverty, civilians dying of a curable disease, and slum-like housing. What would one think when comparing the United States to say, Africa? The United States is the most developed country in the world, but we fall short in one basic need: health care. According to Dr. Vincente Navarro who published in the American Journal of Public Health, “the United States is the only major developed country whose government does not guarantee access to health care for its citizens” (64). Of all the things the modern-day American worries about, healthcare should not be one of them. The United States needs to adopt a universal health care …show more content…
Most everyone can agree that just because people are of low-income, it does not mean they are not entitled to quality care. Studies have shown that the wealthier Americans receive significantly better care and have a higher life expectancy. Based on a study conducted by Terrence Hill and Andrew Jorgenson at the University of Arizona, one can anticipate the average working-class female American to reach seventy-six years of age (2). In comparison, a wealthy, upper-class female averages a life expectancy of eighty-three years. How is it that the wealthy manage to outlive the working-class by nearly six years? Another example of quality care affecting the less fortunate Americans is our neighbors to the North. Canadians, who have adopted a universal health care system, have a higher life expectancy compared to Americans (Armstrong xiv). When Canada began to see a surge in medical costs, at the same time as the United States, their citizens pushed for an implement of universal health care. Ever since, Canada’s wealthy and poor visit the same doctors, same hospitals, and receive the same treatment (Armstrong 4). Both never receive a bill either. Americans see this as free loading and, quite possibly, unfair to the wealthy. But going twenty-five years strong, this health act was made with health care being a basic right, not a privilege. The many advantages that will change the everyday lives of Americans do carry a very unappealing downside. Realistically, no one wants to pay more in taxes. However, that will happen with an implementation of universal health care. One of the most prominent promises of the 2016 Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders, was to provide health care for all with a single tax payer system. According to economist Gerald Friedman at the University of Massachusetts, the overall tax increase on every American would be a 2.2% increase on income-tax and a 6.2 percent
The health care system in Canada today is a combination of sources which depends on the services and the person being treated. 97% of Canadians are covered by Medicare which covers hospital and physician services. Medicare is funded at a governmental and provincial level. People of First Nation and Inuit descent are covered by the federal government. Members of the armed forces, veterans, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also covered by the federal government. Several services such as dental care, residential care, and pharmaceutical are not covered. The 13 provinces have different approaches to health care; therefore, it is often said that Canada has 13 healthcare systems (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The access to advanced medical technology and treatment, the cost of healthcare, and the overall health of Canadians fares well in comparison with other countries such as the United States.
The facts bear out the conclusion that the way healthcare in this country is distributed is flawed. It causes us to lose money, productivity, and unjustly leaves too many people struggling for what Thomas Jefferson realized was fundamental. Among industrialized countries, America holds the unique position of not having any form of universal health care. This should lead Americans to ask why the health of its citizens is “less equal” than the health of a European.
Having been born and raised in a third world country, I can say with certainty that I have experienced the ravaging effect of poverty and lack of health care providers. I still
Even during the worst economic downturn, the advantages of a universal health care system remain hidden from society. Instead, the adverse impacts continue to occupy the minds of many Americans. Misguidedly, citizens are repeatedly ensnared into ideological disputes inc...
“Homelessness can be the cause as well as the result of poor health” (Wise, Emily, Debrody, Corey &ump; Paniucki, Heather, 1999, p.445). This is a reoccurring theme that has existed within the homeless population for decades. While programs to help reduce this constant circle are being put in place all over the country to provide medical services for the homeless to be able to go to, many are still finding that health care needs for individuals as well as homeless communities are not being met. Many studies have been completed that study both the opinion on healthcare by those who have access to sufficient health care and homeless people’s perceptions on health care administration. While many companies are working to provide more personal health care systems, it appears that the larger problem is with a lack of people know about the health care systems that are in place to help them. Companies are trying to advertise more often to inform homeless people that there is health care out there for them.
In recent years, the number of Americans who are uninsured has reached over 45 million citizens, with millions more who only have the very basic of insurance, effectively under insured. With the growing budget cuts to medicaid and the decreasing amount of employers cutting back on their health insurance options, more and more americans are put into positions with poor health care or no access to it at all. At the heart of the issue stems two roots, one concerning the morality of universal health care and the other concerning the economic effects. Many believe that health care reform at a national level is impossible or impractical, and so for too long now our citizens have stood by as our flawed health-care system has transformed into an unfixable mess. The good that universal healthcare would bring to our nation far outweighs the bad, however, so, sooner rather than later, it is important for us to strive towards a society where all people have access to healthcare.
Today I want to tell you why adopting universal health care is the answer to the question of health care reform.
One of the most commonly debated topics in recent American history has been that of health care. Would Americans be able to reap more benefits if individuals continue to be independent in their pursuits of health care, or would it be beneficial for all if the government introduced more regulations regarding health care, changing our system to resemble those of other developed countries? As more solutions are offered, it becomes harder for people to reach a consensus on the best way to approach this issue. Despite this, America must decide what system of healthcare will benefit the most citizens and improve the quality of life the most. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a universal healthcare system would be the most effective and
In conclusion, the ultimate significance to this type of work is to improve the quality of healthcare in these extremely impoverished nations. This argument is represented in Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains, Monte Leach’s “Ensuring Health Care as a Global Human Right”, and Darshark Sanghavi’s “Is it Cost Effective to Treat the World’s Poor.” The idea that universal healthcare is a human right is argued against in Michael F. Cannon’s “A “Right” to health care?” Cannon claims that it would not work, and fills the holes that the other authors leave in their arguments. All of these articles share the same ultimate goal, and that is to provide every individual with adequate health care, and to not let so many people die from things that could easily have been prevented or treated.
Healthcare professionals want only to provide the best care and comfort for their patients. In today’s world, advances in healthcare and medicine have made their task of doing so much easier, allowing previously lethal diseases to be diagnosed and treated with proficiency and speed. A majority of people in the United States have health insurance and enjoy the luxury of convenient, easy to access health care services, with annual checkups, preventative care, and their own personal doctor ready to diagnose and provide treatment for even the most trivial of symptoms. Many of these people could not imagine living a day without the assurance that, when needed, medical care would not be available to themselves and their loved ones. However, millions of American citizens currently live under these unimaginable conditions, going day to day without the security of frequent checkups, prescription medicine, or preventative medicines that could prevent future complications in their health. Now with the rising unemployment rates due to the current global recession, even more Americans are becoming uninsured, and the flaws in the United States’ current healthcare system are being exposed. In order to amend these flaws, some are looking to make small changes to fix the current healthcare system, while others look to make sweeping changes and remodel the system completely, favoring a more socialized, universal type of healthcare system. Although it is certain that change is needed, universal healthcare is not the miracle cure that will solve the systems current ailments. Universal healthcare should not be allowed to take form in America as it is a menace to the capitalist principle of a free market, threatens to put a stranglehold on for-...
Health care can benefit everyone and their different income values. Health care should be required and the risk of spending on insurance should be taken even if many Americans believe they do not need health insurance. There are always possibilities of emergencies occurring and in need of insurance for the high costs of medical care. I personally believe and argued my opinion that health care needs to be required for everyone. To conclude my argument, I have argued that there are more benefits to have healthcare insurance required and that everyone in America deserves a happy and healthy
Politicians and news anchors spout nonsense about the human right to free healthcare for everyone. One such demagogue present in today’s liberal biased media is Bernie Sanders. His policy is in support of universal, government mandated, healthcare. He demands that he will “create a universal health care system guaranteeing health care to all people” (Medicare). Healthcare is not a right for anyone. To be a qualified doctor you must pass MED school and pass all the required tests and regulations to become a doctor. This includes over six years of commitment to MED school, and the desire to complete GMAT’s related to the medical field. (Blog). Doctors provide a service, therefore, to demand doctors to provide a service to individuals who simply cannot pay is fiscally irresponsible. It is not fair for doctors to incur the risk of student loans on MED School only to be not paid when they join the workforce. Universal healthcare in America strips the motivation for doctors to provide a service for hardworking Americans who have proper health insurance. Doctors are not paid because universal health care expands health insurance to individuals who make poor life choices, become unhealthy, and cannot afford the service that the doctors provide. It is no surprise that most doctors oppose Obamacare. Two thirds of doctors do not support Obamacare, as shown in a study of 20,000 doctors (Is it True?).
Living in a capitalist society, the richest Americans enjoy larger homes, nicer cars, better education and even health care. Even if we lived in a capitalist society where everyone had access to the same basic healthcare program, the rich would still be able to afford better care. The wealthy are able to pay more in co-payments, prescription costs, and the ability to go outside of the healthcare system in this country to seek help. When you have the disposable resources then the sky is the limit, where the poor have very limited options. They will be confined to their healthcare coverage program and do not have the luxury of seeking additional assistance. “Poor patients often receive less quality care in the hospital, have more barriers to recovery, and experience higher morbidity and mortality than do patients with higher incomes” (Dracup).
Universal Healthcare by definition means healthcare for all. That would also mean that an insured persons rates would not be increased to cover the uninsured. Universal Healthcare is moral and just obligation. By promoting the health of our citizens we then promote our infrastructure as well.
In 2014, US spending on health care increased by 5.3%, reaching $3 trillion. This is about $9,523 per person. This growth has been primarily attributed to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (National). The act decreased the amount of uninsured persons, but the government had to increase spending. So to cover these expenses, tax rates were increased. Many are against paying for other people’s coverage in this way. They see it as taking steps toward socialism. Under this system, it is argued that the overall quality of care will decrease. For example, cancer survival rates for 5 year periods are higher in the US than European countries, which are known for their universal health care (Verdecchia). Many people are not willing to give up quality over quantity. Under a more privatized system, people could get health care of the quality they want based on their financial situation. Also, 56% of Americans do not believe that it is the government’s job to provide