Universal Health Care Research Paper

Michael Holcomb Should The U.S. Have or Not Have Universal Health Care 9/10/2010 Why doesn’t the United States have universal health care as a right of citizenship? The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access health care as a right of citizenship. I think that the U.S. should have a universal health care policy because, the U.S. ranks poorly relative to other industrialized nations in health care, a universal health care policy would be relatively inexpensive, and a universal health care policy would enable all citizens’ access to health care regardless of race or the ability to pay.

Despite having the best trained health care providers the
U.S. is way behind when comes to our nations care. We rank 23rd in infant mortality, down from 12th from 1960 and 21st in 1990. The U.S. ranks 20th in life expectancy for women, down from 1st in 1945 and 13th in 1960. The U.S. ranks 21st in the life expectancy for men, down 1st in 1945 and 17th in 1960. The U.S. ranks 50th and 100th in immunizations depending on the immunization. Overall the U.S. is 67th when it comes to a healthy America.

So, you think a universal health care policy would be too expensive?
Well let me fill you in on some of our budget spending. The U.S. spends 40% more per capita on health care than any other industrialized country with universal health care. Federal studies by the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting office single payer universal health care 100 to 200 Billion dollars per year despite covering all the uninsured and increasing health care benefits. The cost of health care in Canada as a percentage of the GNP, which were identical in the U.S. when Canada changed to a single payer, universal health care system in 1971, has increased at a rate much lower than the U.S., despite the U.S. economy being much stronger. So in a nut shell, single payer, universal health care cost would be lower than the current U.S. system due to lower administrative cost. By lowering the administrative cost the U.S. would have the ability to provide universal health care, without managed care, increase benefits and still save
money.

Studies reveal that citizens in universal health care systems have more doctor visits and more hospital days than in the US.
Around 30% of Americans have problem accessing health care due to payment problems or access to care, far more than any other industrialized country. About 17% of our population is without health insurance. About 75% of ill uninsured people have trouble accessing/paying for health care. Comparisons of Difficulties Accessing Care Are Shown To Be Greater In The US Than Canada. Access to health care is directly related to income and race in the United States. As a result the poor and minorities have poorer health than the wealthy. There would be no lines under a universal health care system in the United States because we have about a 30% oversupply of medical equipment and surgeons, whereas demand would increase about 15%. The US denies access to health care based on the ability to pay. Under a universal health care system all would access care. There would be no lines as in other industrialized countries due to the oversupply in our providers and infrastructure, and the willingness/ability of the United States to spend more on health care than other industrialized
nations.

In conclusion, is the U.S. really going down the right path when it comes to a “healthy America”? In a country that is the land of opportunity, how can we justify turning away people who need care based on their wealth or social status? Universal health care works for 28 different countries, are we that naïve to think that it wouldn’t work for us? I know that I wouldn’t mind going to a doctor visit without the stress of having to worry about paying the bill, or worrying that I can’t afford to get sick. We are the greatest nation in the world so, let’s start acting like it.