Universal Health Care

Universal health care plans cause controversy amongst opposing interest groups.

The concept of universal health care has been circling for years now, with the promise of free, government supplied health coverage for all Americans. Critics are quick to bring up the potentially prohibitive costs, while proponents argue that universal health care is a right, and any socially responsible government is required to provide for the general well being of their citizens. Many potential plans have floated through different governmental agencies, but none have had the support necessary to become law. The general consensus is that a compromise is the only way for the millions of uninsured Americans to have at least some kind of affordable health coverage. Citizens would be required to pay some form of co-pay, deducted from their paycheck, similar to taxes. This mandatory health insurance would be put to use when medical treatment was deemed necessary by medical professionals. Advocates of universal health care argues that this is unacceptable, that the poor would not be able to meet ends meet with such a large and mandatory deduction from their paycheck. They argue that the government can, and must provide for the health and well being of its citizens. They propose that healthcare should be primarily funded by tax revenue, or by a mix of private and public funds.

The medical industry obviously has lobbied against the idea of a national universal health care plan, as they stand to lose billions of dollars. The powerful medical lobby argues that a universal health care system would result in a decrease in the quality of care offered by medical professionals, as a large bureaucracy would be necessary to make the plan feasible, and would ultimately get in the way of medical care. According to this line of thinking, private individually purchased insurance plans is the only logical plan for health care. Advocacy groups that favor universal health care say that a well organized, and government subsidized program would create an efficient system that would medically treat the rich and poor alike, regardless of their financial circumstances. Advocates point to other countries like, the United Kingdom and Canada, who have efficient government health care systems, and don't have excessive taxes. They see America as a progressive society, and one that the world looks to for guidance, yet it is the only wealthy, industrialized first world nation that does not have national health insurance. This contradictions is unacceptable in their eyes, and must be remedied immediately. Several states in the U.S. have taken steps towards a centralized health care system, but advocates are working to bring about change on a national level. The idea behind judging a system of government by looking at how it treats the lowest and powerless of its citizen's troubles advocates of universal health care because by those standards the United States of America is failing miserably. The poorest in the nation are left to their own devices while the rich can afford the best medical care money can buy, thus ensuring longer, happier and healthier lives while the poor suffer.

Summary: Universal health care is a contentious issue, inspiring intense support and an equal amount of opposition amongst the respective parties.