what is wrong with universal healthcare?

Question

I mean, really. If you can afford better healthcare, get it! Its there for those who cant afford it! And, before you complain about 'taxes', think about how selfish you are if you cant give a little of your abundant money to those who arent as blessed as you are.

BTW The NHS in Britain is doing fine. Much better with it than without it.

Answer 1

There is much misinformation about U.H.C. most of it generated from the A.M.A. and the insurance company's, guess who stands to lose the most about U.H.C., in fact after doing some research I have found that in fact it is less expensive to have it. Currently the U.S. is ranked number 1 in the cost of health care and number 14 in quality of care. This from the world health organization. That's right we are the most expensive, and there are 13 country's ahead of is quality of care. The insurance company's profit taken out of the cost of health care alone would save much money. Negotiating drug prices another savings for the tax payer. Catching illnesses before they become serious would be a savings, preventive medicine is the best medicine. I honestly think that it is time for U.H.C. in this country. I don't care if they call it socialist or not. It is the right thing to do.

Answer 2

Even though I am a born US citizen, my grandfather is a Canadian citizen and he told me that Universal health care is a BAD IDEA. He was having some serious health issues and tried making an appointment but made him wait 5 MONTHS until they finally seen him. Found out that he had cancer. If he didn't have to wait they would of found it earlier and it wouldn't have spread as bad. Sad part was, before he could get treated, they made him wait EVEN LONGER. I like the fact that right now I can choose and pay for my own health care. If me or my children are sick, I could see the doctor right away. Why the hell should I be forced to pay for everyone elses health care and then lets say if my child has an ear infection, why should I wait up to 2 weeks before he gets treated because a bunch of people made appointments to be seen for a common cold or a scratch on their knee?!

Answer 3

What is wrong with it? The same thing that is wrong with public education. It is not the government's job.

When government does something that people are supposed to do for themselves, it ends up costing more, usually a lot more. Also, you will end up with an inferior product.

The US spends much more than any other nation on per capita education. And look at the results. We are at the bottom of the list. Why are American kids so dumb? The simplest answer is that there is no incentive for the public schools to do any better.

The worse the schools do, the more money they get. Government is the only area where, the worse you perform, the more money you get. Private and parochial schools compete, and have one third the budget of public schools, and yet they excel.

What do you think government health care would be like? And who do you think would pay for it? The politicians? No, YOU would pay, and you would pay through the nose!

Why do you think that Canadians come to the US for health care? The same reason that parents send their kids to private and parochial, even though their taxes are paying for the "free" public schools.

As to why health care is so expensive, again the answer: government has bid up the price with Medicare payments. Also, outrageous lawsuits have raised the cost of medical care. Lawyers are always looking for ways to sue doctors and hospitals.

Answer 4

I see a bunch of people here who want to spend more on private insurance than they would have to pay in taxes to get better medical treatment than they do now.

The administration of the American medical insurance system costs way more than the single payer system in Canada. Americans get taken to the cleaners by the big Pharmaceutical companies (paying much more for the same drugs available in Canada), and about 1/3 of Americans have no insurance whatever or they are drastically under-insured.

While there are wait-times for some elective procedures in Canada, critical or emergency procedures are taken care of promptly. Everyone can see a doctor at any time without charge (aside from the taxes they've already paid), and there are no insurance premiums that rise just for using the medical system.

People live longer in Canada than they do in the U.S. and their state of health is generally better.

The only people that really benefit from U.S. health-care are those that can afford incredibly expensive insurance. And that's very few Americans. But for them, the U.S. system is better.

For the average American, there's no contest. Universal health care is cheaper, better and everyone has access to it.

Answer 5

I don't agree with universal health care. I do think anyone on Social Security or under the age of 18 should have 100% free health care including prescriptions.

Everybody's health care would be cheaper because the burden on health insurance companies would drop dramatically.

Everyone 18 to retirement should get a job.

After I made my post, I read a lot of entrees saying it would be cheaper, John Edwards on meet the press threw this number out 1.7 Trillion dollars in taxes to pay for it over the first 10 years.

That doesn't sound cheap to me.

Answer 6

"think about how selfish you are if you cant give a little of your abundant money to those who arent as blessed as you are."

I wasn't aware that a forced tax should be considered a charitable donation. So you tell me which part of my "gift" will go to wars, which part will go to wasteful farm subsidies, and which part will go to "helping the poor" with UHC.

And one major problem with Universal Healthcare is that it will face the same problems that Social Security and Medicare will be facing - an aging population supported by fewer and fewer tax payers.

Answer 7

The biggest problem is it will be run by the government.I don't need them wasting any more of my money than they already do. Further more I didn't get where I am because I was "blessed". I did it through hard work and getting off my can and going after the opportunities available.
Also I don't really think I want any more socialism infused into our economy. It's bad enough we have a socialist running for president.

Answer 8

Universal Healthcare and a Free society don't go together unless you have the choice of opting out.

Answer 9

Your position on this is a borderline Communism theory..

The bottom line is that America is a capitalism economy. That type of economy causes the best to succeed. If you make health care government funded, our health care system will be hobbled. Why do you think the best Doctors come to this country? Why do you think people come to this country to get major surgery?

Also, ask any Doctor what they think of it. Its bad enough now with HMO's undercutting their profits and refusing to pay them. And the insurance industry, one of them top 5 most profitable businesses in this country, are killing them with malpractice coverage.

Do you realize that surgeons are paying 200,000 dollars a year just to cover their malpractice fees? Do you realize that this has cause many doctors to stop doing surgery and to even leave the medical field?

So... yea... there is a lot wrong with universal health care.

Answer 10

Universal health care takes away incentives. Look at the mess in Europe and Canada brought on by their systems. The long waiting times and menial services result in many people coming to this country and coughing up the bucks to get good care here. People need to push for the burdens of health care to be lowered not increased by making a national program which will destroy our country.