Universal Healthcare in the United States

Inside and outside of the United States, it is shocking to many that the US remains one of the few countries in the world that does not provide universal healthcare to its citizens. While the United States does provide government funded insurance through its Medicare and Medicaid programs, most individuals under the age of 65 and who live above the poverty line receive insurance coverage from a private payer. The idea of moving to a single-payer system seems frightening to many, who cite infringement on personal freedoms (i.e. socialism) and increased taxation to fund the system as major deterrents to making the switch to universal healthcare. It is interesting to me that other government funded programs, such as social security that provides income to retired or disabled Americans, are so well received while universal healthcare, a system that stands to benefit the American people in a similar manner is constantly met with backlash. People are very comfortable with the idea of social security. They expect that it will be there to help them when they need it and the thought of this system running out of funding is a frightening possibility to most.

Misconceptions of what it means to have a single-payer system may lie at the heart of the issue. As mentioned above, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of government involvement with their healthcare as they view the matter as a personal affair. Why should the government have a hand in my medical care? What kinds of corruption will come from back-room deals the government makes to cut spending on medical care, leading to poorer outcomes? In addressing these concerns, it is interesting to look at how countries that currently have universal healthcare deliver its services to its people. While some countries such as the United Kingdom rely predominantly on publically funded insurance and government contracts with hospitals and healthcare providers, namely the NHS, other countries use government funding in a different manner.  The Netherlands is an example of a different kind of system that uses government funding to help people afford health insurance plans from a group of competing insurance providers. Here, the government requires its citizens to have basic health care plans to cover routine services, while people can opt to buy additional insurance coverage through private providers. This system goes to show that while funding may come from taxation, government involvement in healthcare is not an absolute. People are still free to purchase insurance coverage if they wish and the system is not entirely monopolized under a single-payer system. As mentioned in class, I believe that people may be upset at the idea of employing universal healthcare in the United States, but will come to realize the good it will do once the system is in place.