Arguments Against Universal Health Care
We live in a country where all men are created equal. Unfortunately, when it comes to our health, this is not true. One of the most fundamental debates in our nation is about our health care system and how it is not ran efficiently enough to meet the needs of all Americans. The World Health Organization ranks the United States health care system a startling 37 out of 191, falling below countries with even much less economic wealth. Although the United States is considered to be the wealthiest country in the world, our healthcare system is not the most successful; with rising costs and occasional fraud there is evidence that Universal healthcare would be a good option for our country, and would increase the equality and rights of individuals
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in our “free” nation. While many Americans dream of having a universal health care system many argue that universal healthcare in the United States would have a detrimental impact in both our society and in our economy because it would add a higher tax to individuals and many believe that it is not efficient in other countries. Both positions have firm opinions on how they feel about Universal health care, however, I have found that the need to have a universal health system in the United States is the stronger argument based off of research that I have done on both sides of this controversy. Lopez 2
People who are against having a Universal Health Care System in the United States argue that universal healthcare is not really “free” and it would bring further debt to America because it would mean that taxes would have to be immensely raised on everyone. They also argue that previous government involvement in health insurance (such as medicare and medicaid) has failed to accomplish what it once proposed, and that adding additional/complete government control of our healthcare would limit our personal freedoms, and it would reduce the quality of care and doctor flexibility. Lastly, they say that universal healthcare would limit our personal freedoms, and that having a universal health care system in the United States would basically force us to have health insurance whether we want to or not, and whether we need it or not. However, there is evidence that most of these problems are irrelevant, and that countries who have universal health care systems are more successful that the health care system in the United States.
According to Adam Summers, a policy analyst at Reason Foundation, “After over a generation of taxes and mandates and regulations and Medicare, we can see that government intrusion in the health-care industry only makes healthcare less affordable and the quality of care lower.” Summers believes that a universal health care system would not be successful in the United States because he says government intrusion in the medical care industry has been increasing significantly for years, particularly since the birth of medicare and medicaid in 1965, without ever achieving the promised goals of greater affordability and better quality of care.
However, almost 50 million/HALF of Americans are uninsured, while the remainder, who are covered, are often victims of insurance company fraud. Without programs like Medicare and
Lopez 3
Medicaid the number of uninsured Americans would be even HIGHER.
Medicare and Medicaid was created to make healthcare more affordable and to help people who can not afford to pay for healthcare, removing them would only make the economy worse, because it would mean that many Americans would suffer from debts from medical bills that they cannot afford to pay. Physician Philip Caper, a founding board member of Maine AllCare, did a study on this controversy, and he found that our Canadian neighbors, who have universal health insurance, feel much differently than Adam Summers and others who are against universal health care. He asked them if they resent their tax dollars being spent to provide healthcare to those who can’t afford it on their own, they said they couldn’t think of a better way to spend them. They said things like “Isn’t that what democracy is all about?” Canadian Physicians also said things like “Our Universal healthcare is the highest expression of Canadians caring for each other.” Tommy Douglas was voted the greatest Canadian in 2004 for his contributions to the Canadian healthcare system. Canadians tend to think that healthcare is a human right. We don’t… yet. Universal health insurance would help in the recovery of our economy, and make a difference in the lives of the millions of Americans that are uninsured. Michael Tanner, the director of health and welfare studies and Michael Cannon, the director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute argue that universal health insurance reduces the quality of medical care and doctor flexibility. They say that “Simply saying that people have health insurance is meaningless. Many countries provide universal insurance but deny critical procedures to patients who need them.” however, people in other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Cuba have no problem receiving medical treatment, and according
Lopez
4 to Michael Moore, the director of the universal health insurance documentary “Sicko,” studies show that people who live in countries who have universal health insurance systems live ten years longer than the average American, ten years! In his documentary, Michael Moore talks about “9/11 rescue workers who volunteered after the September 11,2001 attacks were denied government funds to care for physical and psychological maladies they subsequently developed, including respiratory disease and PTSD-induced bruxism.” Due to not being able to receive and afford medical care in the United States, they traveled to Cuba on speedboats, where they were able to purchase inexpensive medicine and receive free medical treatment at the elite Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital. The rescue workers provided only their names and birth dates, and were welcomed with open arms. How can people like Michael Tanner and Michael Cannon argue that universal health insurance would reduce the quality of care and doctor flexibility, if countries who provide universal health insurance are even willing to treat people from our country, completely FREE! It doesn’t make sense to judge others based off of what we think rather than what we know, it is not always true that universal healthcare invades our privacy, but it also brings us together and gives us the support we need. Lastly, Balanced Politics refers to Ronald Reagan's speculation on universal healthcare by saying that it was a bad idea because it imposes socialism. He believed that Universal healthcare would limit our personal freedoms. Yet, shouldn’t our rights as human beings be more important that our “freedoms?” President Richard Nixon was also against the idea of a universal healthcare system in the United States, because he believed that it would be a waste of money. Nixon admitted in a taped conversation that “The less care they give them, the more money they
Lopez 5 will make.” A plan that Nixon believed was “fine” and “not bad.” According to Michael Moore and his documentary “Sicko”, almost 50 million Americans are uninsured while the remainder, who are “covered”, are often victims of insurance fraud and red tape. In his documentary, Interviews were conducted with people who thought they had adequate coverage but were still denied care. He also gave examples of former employees of insurance companies that describe cost-cutting initiatives that give bonuses to insurance company physicians and others to find reasons for the company to avoid meeting the cost of medically necessary treatments for policyholders, and thus increase company profitability. In the documentary, Linda Peeno, the Former Medical Reviewer/Humana admits to the fraud that happens in our health care systems. She said “I denied a man a necessary operation and thus cost his death. This secured my reputation and it insured my continued advancement in the healthcare field.” Medical practitioners are supposed to saves lives, NOT MONEY.
in our “free” nation. While many Americans dream of having a universal health care system many argue that universal healthcare in the United States would have a detrimental impact in both our society and in our economy because it would add a higher tax to individuals and many believe that it is not efficient in other countries. Both positions have firm opinions on how they feel about Universal health care, however, I have found that the need to have a universal health system in the United States is the stronger argument based off of research that I have done on both sides of this controversy. Lopez 2
People who are against having a Universal Health Care System in the United States argue that universal healthcare is not really “free” and it would bring further debt to America because it would mean that taxes would have to be immensely raised on everyone. They also argue that previous government involvement in health insurance (such as medicare and medicaid) has failed to accomplish what it once proposed, and that adding additional/complete government control of our healthcare would limit our personal freedoms, and it would reduce the quality of care and doctor flexibility. Lastly, they say that universal healthcare would limit our personal freedoms, and that having a universal health care system in the United States would basically force us to have health insurance whether we want to or not, and whether we need it or not. However, there is evidence that most of these problems are irrelevant, and that countries who have universal health care systems are more successful that the health care system in the United States.
According to Adam Summers, a policy analyst at Reason Foundation, “After over a generation of taxes and mandates and regulations and Medicare, we can see that government intrusion in the health-care industry only makes healthcare less affordable and the quality of care lower.” Summers believes that a universal health care system would not be successful in the United States because he says government intrusion in the medical care industry has been increasing significantly for years, particularly since the birth of medicare and medicaid in 1965, without ever achieving the promised goals of greater affordability and better quality of care.
However, almost 50 million/HALF of Americans are uninsured, while the remainder, who are covered, are often victims of insurance company fraud. Without programs like Medicare and
Lopez 3
Medicaid the number of uninsured Americans would be even HIGHER.
Medicare and Medicaid was created to make healthcare more affordable and to help people who can not afford to pay for healthcare, removing them would only make the economy worse, because it would mean that many Americans would suffer from debts from medical bills that they cannot afford to pay. Physician Philip Caper, a founding board member of Maine AllCare, did a study on this controversy, and he found that our Canadian neighbors, who have universal health insurance, feel much differently than Adam Summers and others who are against universal health care. He asked them if they resent their tax dollars being spent to provide healthcare to those who can’t afford it on their own, they said they couldn’t think of a better way to spend them. They said things like “Isn’t that what democracy is all about?” Canadian Physicians also said things like “Our Universal healthcare is the highest expression of Canadians caring for each other.” Tommy Douglas was voted the greatest Canadian in 2004 for his contributions to the Canadian healthcare system. Canadians tend to think that healthcare is a human right. We don’t… yet. Universal health insurance would help in the recovery of our economy, and make a difference in the lives of the millions of Americans that are uninsured. Michael Tanner, the director of health and welfare studies and Michael Cannon, the director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute argue that universal health insurance reduces the quality of medical care and doctor flexibility. They say that “Simply saying that people have health insurance is meaningless. Many countries provide universal insurance but deny critical procedures to patients who need them.” however, people in other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Cuba have no problem receiving medical treatment, and according
Lopez
4 to Michael Moore, the director of the universal health insurance documentary “Sicko,” studies show that people who live in countries who have universal health insurance systems live ten years longer than the average American, ten years! In his documentary, Michael Moore talks about “9/11 rescue workers who volunteered after the September 11,2001 attacks were denied government funds to care for physical and psychological maladies they subsequently developed, including respiratory disease and PTSD-induced bruxism.” Due to not being able to receive and afford medical care in the United States, they traveled to Cuba on speedboats, where they were able to purchase inexpensive medicine and receive free medical treatment at the elite Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital. The rescue workers provided only their names and birth dates, and were welcomed with open arms. How can people like Michael Tanner and Michael Cannon argue that universal health insurance would reduce the quality of care and doctor flexibility, if countries who provide universal health insurance are even willing to treat people from our country, completely FREE! It doesn’t make sense to judge others based off of what we think rather than what we know, it is not always true that universal healthcare invades our privacy, but it also brings us together and gives us the support we need. Lastly, Balanced Politics refers to Ronald Reagan's speculation on universal healthcare by saying that it was a bad idea because it imposes socialism. He believed that Universal healthcare would limit our personal freedoms. Yet, shouldn’t our rights as human beings be more important that our “freedoms?” President Richard Nixon was also against the idea of a universal healthcare system in the United States, because he believed that it would be a waste of money. Nixon admitted in a taped conversation that “The less care they give them, the more money they
Lopez 5 will make.” A plan that Nixon believed was “fine” and “not bad.” According to Michael Moore and his documentary “Sicko”, almost 50 million Americans are uninsured while the remainder, who are “covered”, are often victims of insurance fraud and red tape. In his documentary, Interviews were conducted with people who thought they had adequate coverage but were still denied care. He also gave examples of former employees of insurance companies that describe cost-cutting initiatives that give bonuses to insurance company physicians and others to find reasons for the company to avoid meeting the cost of medically necessary treatments for policyholders, and thus increase company profitability. In the documentary, Linda Peeno, the Former Medical Reviewer/Humana admits to the fraud that happens in our health care systems. She said “I denied a man a necessary operation and thus cost his death. This secured my reputation and it insured my continued advancement in the healthcare field.” Medical practitioners are supposed to saves lives, NOT MONEY.