Is universal healthcare fair or not?

Question

Even though they are problems with it Canada, at least everyone is covered and there are no insurance companies to exploit people. Is this the right way to go or not?

Answer 1

No. It puts the burden on the same people who are paying for their own health insurance now but extends benefits to those who currently aren't. I know, it seems fairer for everyone to have health insurance, but there are 2 problems with that. 1. Health care is a scarce resource, there is more demand than there is supply, so there has to be some form of rationing, and 2. If you are paying for something (and have co-pays/deductibles) you are more likely to self ration or maybe take preventative measures. I would really hate to have paid a lot of taxes on all my life and die while waiting for a bypass, because I had to wait in line with those who never contributed to the system (and yes, I take my fish oil and 81 mg aspirin every day and work out a lot to try to prevent it from happening). Fortunately, I'll will do what they do in England or Canada when they can't wait, I will pay it out of my life savings (and then be poor). Responsibility sucks.

Answer 2

I think it is. They just released a study that says that the best healthcare is in four countries with UHC (Germany, UK, Canada, and ?). The U.S. is the most expensive and is only 5th on the list. Plus, some of these countries have shorter wait times than the U.S. system. Even if all this wasn't true and UHC sucked, what's better: sucky healthcare or NO healthcare? For some people, that's their only two choices.

Answer 3

There was a report here on Yahoo the other day that ranked our (US) health care system as the worse among the wealthy nations. In terms of the value the average citizen receives. We pay way too much for crappy care, unless of course you are rich. We were right below Canada. Health care shouldn't be a business. Businesses care about making money, not making people better.

Answer 4

Well, private insurance allows us to see whoever we want, whenever we want. With a social healthcare plan, you're limited and are not guaranteed to see a specialist if/when you need one.

I definitely believe everyone who needs health insurance should be covered, but I would want the freedom to make my own decisions about the doctors I see.

Answer 5

Universal health care is fair.
Health care, of good quality at a reasonable price for every one, is possible in the USA.
At present we in the USA are paying too much for an uneven quality health care system that does cover everyone.

How to get it?
1-Electronic medical records, password protected in the Internet.
2-Elimination of the fee for service system in favor of either a capitation or salary based system
3-One payer (federal) for system #2
4-Allow licensed nurse practitioners nationwide

5-Prohibit HMO from interfering in health care decisions.
Only qualified health care providers could do that.
The HMO or similar organizations could not offer sharing of savings or any other economic incentives to participating providers for savings achieved.
6-Quality controls and economic rewarding for quality.

Answer 6

UHC doesn't work. Canada is looking to privatise it as we speak as it is an utter failure. I've heard of people who died waiting 9 months for an MRI when their problem could have been caught and resolved. It's a disaster. Ever since Insurance companies and the Fed got involved in health care it has gotten worse not better.

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Answer 7

I think it is fair. Why should some one not get to a doctor if they are having an emergency. Preventive health care would be a lot cheaper use of the governments money That way they may prevent an heart attack or other such problems like cancer.
Of course if each insurance company went to using the same form the claims would be cheaper to process.

Answer 8

if insurance wasnt as incredibly expensive as it is, i would say its a terrible idea. but since it is, and there are numerous examples of how even people who pay for insurance get screwed by their companies, i am all for it.

healthcare will go down in this country, and it will cost more money, but at least it will no longer be an impossible burden for many ppl

Answer 9

It is unfair to CEOs and Board Members of health insurance companies who are raking in millions of dollars a year in profit off their stock and salary.

To everyone else, its a good deal.

Answer 10

how about non profit health insurance ? because non profit does not answer to any stockholders who are just in it for a buck and they never seem to go bankrupt because of a crooked CEO! i always say if you can afford to advertise then you are making too much money and why would you advertise something everyone needs? non profit insurance is like fuel saving cars.. they sell themselves so you don't have to advertise what most of us need and want!