Universal Health Care

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

system to ensure quality care in all medical facilities, provide health care to every tax payer, and reduce the overall out-of-pocket cost. Why is the United States not the trailblazer to a world-class, equal access health care system? The consequences of neglecting the basic right of health care far surpass the exorbitant medical costs Americans are already drowning in.
Quality of health care is the difference between life and death for some Americans.

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

tax on employer’s payroll (32). Despite removing the out-of-pocket costs and no longer paying insurance premiums, which in the end will save Americans thousands of dollars, people are still resistant to the intimidating phrase of a “tax increase”. There is no such thing as a perfect plan, but by reforming our health care system, every American receives the quality care they deserve, no matter what their social class or demographic is.
The most significant health care problem in America is millions are going without the most basic health services due to lack of insurance and inability to afford it. According to Dr. Pat and Hugh Armstrong who are Canadian sociologists from Carlton University, at any given time, “there are more than forty-one million people who are without health insurance” (xi). This does not include the number of people who have inadequate health insurance and unable to receive the best treatment options available because of coverage. In a study conducted by Harvard University, it was determined that the lack of health insurance in America is the direct cause of nearly 45,000 deaths a year (Harvard Study Finds 11). The study also found that the overall health of an American without insurance is very poor compared to a more affluent one. The poor will purposely not seek medical care for a very minor issue. For example, the issue could be a chronic cough or trouble breathing. The very minor condition could turn into a life-threatening disease such as lung cancer or acute pneumonia. One can only hope it is not serious, but many would not know until it is too late. People should not be dying because they were not able to afford preventative care or treatment in the United States. In contrast, the wait times at clinics and hospitals are said to increase under a universal health care system. The wait times in Canada have sometimes stretched to almost twelve weeks for certain elective surgery consultations (Armstrong 127). However, these increases are only based on elective surgeries as opposed to the health care issues requiring immediate attention. The system has a way of prioritizing patients based on urgency. Not to mention that almost every Canadian does not mind a wait for medical care when it is of no charge. Whereas in the United States, the wealthy can purchase their spot in the front and everyone is sent home with a staggering bill. Which brings us to the next point.
The lack of government regulation allows hospitals to charge anything they want, as well as insurance companies. It really is no joke when people say they cannot afford their medical bills. Based on the findings by Navarro, he was able to determine the cost of insurance per person has gone from one hundred and fifty dollars in the 1960s to nearly ten-thousand dollars in 2016 (65). Privatized healthcare has caused every aspect of costs to be astronomically high. One out of every six Americans are in some form of medical debt. Out of those who are in medical debt, two of every five will file for bankruptcy, take out a second mortgage or loan from friends and family to repay (Siefert w89). If Americans are diagnosed with any form of cancer, they can expect to be in debt that will haunt them for years or unfortunately file for bankruptcy. Why are these outrageous prices not covered entirely through insurance? Granted, not everyone will agree that the government should be involved. Government involvement will lead to hardly any competition in terms of pay and incentives for surgeons and health care professionals. Many surgeons in the United States are currently making more than triple what doctors in Canada are. For example, a hip replacement in Canada will yield a surgeon about six hundred and fifty dollars, as opposed to nearly four thousand dollars in the United States (Siefert w91). Also, in the 90s, when Canada first adopted the health care system, a portion of doctors left the work force. It is true that all medical professionals will be paid less, therefore creating a possible shortage (Siefert w90). In the end, the moral obligation to provide care for Americans should be the priority. It should be done so without bankrupting an American. The inflated costs of health care desperately need to be regulated to provide an affordable cost to all.
To reform the United States health care system, we need to first start with educating the masses of Americans. Many will think poorly of a universal health care system, mostly because they do not understand it. This can be done through social media, word of mouth, and door to door visits to provide information. Next step would be our legislators. It is imperative to send a clear message on what is important to Americans, such as our basic right to health care. It will not take off right away, as many senators have insurance lobbyist in their pockets. Most importantly, the American people need to be persistent and have a solid political leader be the face of the movement. There will need to be a clear, comprehensive health care plan prepared when trying to propose a bill such as this. The tax increase will be like Canada’s, where it is based on the number of people in a household, not so much on income. Another option could be what Bernie Sanders purposed, with a 2.2% tax on income to supplement the universal health care system (Friedman 32). As far as those who are unemployed, there will be a set amount of money allotted per capita to compensate for those who are unable to pay.
The United States is among the world leaders, if not the leader, in just about every category. Where we fall short as a nation is providing the basic right of health care to all. Despite being the most expensive country for any medical or insurance expense, we do not provide what Americans deserve. What we all deserve is a universal health care system to ensure quality care in all medical facilities, provide health care to every tax payer, and to reduce the overall out-of-pocket cost. The importance of a reformed health care system is dire. Millions are without insurance and dying because of it. Undoubtably, the health care crisis in the United States will eventually be resolved. As the famous Winston Churchill once said, “You can count on Americans to do the right thing, but only after they have tried everything else.”