Why do American fear Universal Health Care?

Question

I do not see any down falls except for big business insurence companies not making profit. The United States spends at least 40% more per capita on health care than any other industrialized country with universal health care while not providing better service on most cases.

17% of Americans don't have coverage and thousands of people die a year from it. Its a sad state when this could be prevented.

http://cthealth.server101.com/the_case_for_universal_health_care_in_the_united_states.htm

I am a Canadian by the way and choose my own doctors and don't have to wait long for most precedures so not sure where you guys get your facts. Our system can be better and waiting times on some procedures cut down but we don't let anyone die.

Answer 1

I grew up in Australia and I now live in the US. To be honest, I won't even go to the doctor in this country, even though I have great insurance. The whole system is corrupt. I go to the doctor for a headache and I come out with a prescription for 3 types of pills and numerous "recheck" appointments. Back home if I went for the same thing I'd be checked thoroughly and told to come back if it doesn't go away. If it doesn't, I'd be treated accordingly.

The whole system is designed to create profit. People in this country don't become doctors to help people. They do it because of the cash incentive.

This country needs government provided health care for all, with an emphasis on preventative medicine. Until then, I will only go and see my doctor when I go home for visits.

edit: I don't know why all these people are talking about "waiting for procedures". I have NEVER had to wait back home. In America, If I want a new appointment, it can take up to 3 months to see a doctor. In aus, I can walk in the door and see a doctor immediately.

Answer 2

And how many people in Canada die waiting for an operation that could be done almost instantly in the US? Not providing better service? Ha, why should the best and brightest go to medical school if they're not even going to recoup the money they are in debt? I'd rather be treated by an overpriced DR. who was at the top of his class and is pioneering medicine rather than some guy who was in the bottom 10% of his class and who the medical school accepted because they were desperate for doctors...


There was just a program on here in the states where they chronicled some Canadian families where either: A) a member of the family had died waiting for treatment, or B) the family was desperately working with a "medical broker" here in the US to get treatment. So you may speak from personal experience, but from what I have seen and read, the wait time is unacceptable to many and deadly to some...

Answer 3

Here are some downsides:

Most other countries with universal health care have poorer quality health care. In India, health care is free, but if you don't bribe the hospital they'll keep rescheduling you. It's a back door way for them to make money. If you try to claim totally free healthcare there, you might never get it, or if you do it might be years later, and bottom of the barrel quality. Whenever people from these countries want REAL care, or complicated procedures, they pay in full at better medical facilities which are usually exempt from the universal health care policy, or are in another country.

The cost of such a plan would be very high. I find it ironic that some people could think that the country is being bankrupt by war costs and they simultaneously believe that the solution is taking on an expensive health care program for the country!

Answer 4

You don't see the bad side because the people who want it won't let you. for one thing, the increased wait time on a universal health care system is far too long. Nobody tells you that people have died waiting for treatment for treatable diseases. Many Canadians come to America to be diagnosed and treated. When asked why they replied. the wait time is unacceptable, sometimes fatal.
There are other reasons, but I'll skip to my closer. We have free legal representation to all that need it (like socialized medicine, but for criminals) sounds great, but if you want to stay out of jail, hire a lawyer. So long as we live in a free society, doctor will be free to go into private practice if they choose. We can't legally force them to work for the government. So once all the talented docs go, who's left to take care of the sick in the government hospitals. Rookies, being trained my doctors who couldn't get out because they weren't good enough. In other words, the same lawyers you get for free. combine this with the hopeless overcrowding and you have a disaster in the making.

Answer 5

Do not fear it, just have sense enough to know that is not a good thing. We can pay our own, already have programs to help people who do not have it. Why put us in a position to pay higher taxes, and pay for everyone else's. That is another way to make US dependent on the Government. If you think universal health care is better, guess you are willing to wait six months for surgery, and not be able to take your sick crying baby to doctor for months. Universal Health Care is not good for America, or anyone one else.

Answer 6

Because it removes control of your health care from the free market where people have some control over its quality and effectiveness by paying for the plan that serves them best and puts it into the hands a faceless unaccountable govt. official that will never be held accountable for his decisions. Also have you noticed that those other 1st world countries are all struggling with massive debt problems atm because now that govts. are cradle to grave they don't have the populations to support the retired anymore. There is our future if we stay on this path.

Answer 7

Nothing you say is correct. Try to separate in your mind these two concepts: health insurance and health care.

Everyone in the US has access to health care. What is at issue is how the care is paid for. Insurance, cash, socialism and charity are all available.

We don't want socialized medicine. Besides paying for the care, with tax money, we would have to pay for a giant federal bureaucracy to run the program. For every dollar that goes to a doctor, another 50 cents will have to go to the government.

The government stats on number of uninsured is bogus. People should not be forced to buy insurance if they don't want to. We still value our freedoms in the US.

Answer 8

A small number of Americans gladly choose to not pay for medical insurance and wish to continue that choice. A large number of American businesses have a large stake in keeping things the way the are.

Answer 9

Just because you don't see the downfalls, doesn't mean they aren't there. There are more downfalls than benifits.

SOCIALIZED MEDICINE (stop cherry coating it) creates a downward spiral in both the quality of the care, and its efficiency.

If you would like me to explain how/why, email me.

Your statistics are greatly skewed. Ask yourself why so many canadians come to the U.S. to get their health care. Why are they not willing to wait a year (yes over a year in many cases) to get their government sponsered care in canada?



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and to the athiest below me,, you are the reason we don't need socialized medicine. I don't want to pay for you to go see a doctor every time you get a headache.

Answer 10

You Liberals are amazing. Why do you think if you change the name of something it makes it different than what it is? Illegal immigrants and really illegal aliens and universal health care is socialized medicine so why not call thing by their proper names.