As the wording suggests, universal coverage refers to a health care system where every individual has coverage. Usually in a single payer system, the government is responsible for paying health care claims. The difference between the two is very significant; without a single payer system it is impossible for a country to have universal health care. Within a single payer system the government would be responsible for providing every citizen with free medical care. Countries like Canada, France, and even England have adopted this idea of universal coverage. If the United States government were to undergo the change to universal health care then the government would be accountable for collecting all medical fees and then reimbursing each individual medical facility responsible for the care of the individual. Unlike our complex health care system, a single payer system can choose between contracting health care services from private organizations, like Canada, or by employing their own health care personnel, as seen within the United Kingdom.
Even though there are examples of successful single payer systems in the United States, people are still reluctant towards the new idea of universal coverage. A perfect example of a single payer system taking place in our health care system today is Medicare. Medicare provides health care coverage for those who are 65 years and older. This social insurance program is paid for and administered by the United States government. Universal health care would mimic the guidelines Medicare has followed all along, the only difference is that universal coverage would cover every individual citizen. Therefore people should not be afraid of universal coverage, they should be optimistic for the future of our health care system.
Well I do agree with the fact that every individual will be covered under the Universal Health care if it is adopted in the United States, so many Americans are very happy about that. But if this occurs, then doctors will not be able to get paid as well as they do now. Because a Universal Health care would mean that a doctor's salary will have to be dropped so the country's government will be able to afford everyones health bill thus in turn like u said making doctors mad if this health care plan is passed.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that every individual should be covered by health insurance, but I disagree with your solution of providing universal healthcare through the use of Medicare. I believe that currently the Medicare program is running a rather large deficit, and in the near future will run out of all funds which keeps this program going. If this is happening for coverage of people only over 65, how would this program work for the entire country? I hope that I am unclear about my facts, but I would suggest looking into this problem. If this is the case though, how would you look to solve these issues with the program? http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TRSUM/index.html
ReplyDeleteWhile universal health care might seem like the perfect ideal solution, it just isn't practical. The nations that currently implement it: Canada, France, and England have huge problems with efficiency. I am not familiar with the Hospitals overseas, but i can say from experience that getting something as trivial as a cast at a Canadian hospital is not an easy task. 24% of Canadians wait more than 4 hours in the ER just to be seen by a physician. Canadian hospitals do boast a considerably great cost effectiveness, but that is because they severely limit the number of beds in any one facility. Reports are that 84% of beds are constantly full, where as in the US that number is closer to 60%. This decrease in equipment obviously lead to decreased costs, but if the result is 4 hours of waiting at the emergency room i would rather pay the extra money for immediate care when i need it.
ReplyDeleteI think in theory universal health care is a great idea, but with the economy like it is in its current state, it's just not feasible. It would be very expensive and the quality would be much lower. Like Preemptive stated about Canada, Jamaica has the same situation. Getting a crucial doctor's appointment for three months from the time you schedule it is lucky. Maybe using countries with successful universal health care systems as a model for the US would provide a good idea for how to run a universal health care system. Until then, I think we'll have to keep using the single payer system to meet our needs.
ReplyDeleteUnder the single payer system of health care the goverment does not pay for health insurance,the tax payers do. Single tax payer system will lead to an increase in taxes to cover the cost. When medicare was introduce congress completely under estimated its cost. I fear the same will happen if a single payer system is implemented. Furthemore the the quailty of medical care will be less under a system that does not incentivize competition among doctors. Also any bussiness or service that isnationalize is very inefficent relative to private sectors.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of misconceptions regarding the effects that universal health care will bring if it is implemented in the United States.The quality of health care will not be affected in any way. Canada, a country under a universal health care system, has one of the highest quality health care ratings in the world. Universal health care does not imply that doctors will earn lower salaries, the only difference is that the government will be responsible for reimbursing the money instead of private insurance companies. I agree that universal health care is complex in nature, but in order to heal our currently inefficient health care system, the government has to start from somewhere. Universal health care will take a long time to complete but at the end it should bring positive effects into American lives. In response to the assumption that universal health care will bring forth longer patient waiting periods, your assumption is wrong. It is true that some clinics in Canada experience long waiting periods, but the same situation occurs in clinics in the United States as well.
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