Universal Health system

This paper examines the reasons and facts for why the United States (US) should implement a universal health care system. The report begins by outlining the current healthcare system in the United States and the flaws in the insurance coverage system. One of the drawbacks is that healthcare services are not accessible to everyone. Only those who are insured can afford medical services without difficulty. On the other hand, the unemployed are more likely to have trouble accessing medical assistance due to the high cost. As a result of the case, there is inequity in terms of healthcare service accessibility and affordability. For the health care system in the US to be affordable and accessible to all, the sector should be reformed and have a Universal Healthcare system that offers an array of advantages. Some of the positive implications of the Universal health care system include; more people would be in a position to reasonably afford the health care and easily access the services hence resulting to equality. Through the Universal Healthcare system, the nation's productivity would increase because of a healthier population. Above all, it is the right of every human being to access quality and affordable health care services which can be facilitated by the Universal Health Care.









The United States should have Universal Health Care

Introduction

Over the last few decades, Universal Healthcare in the United States stands out to be one of the issues with the biggest battles both politically and socially. Recently, the healthcare sector in the U.S has seen has had arguments on whether to make it universal or not. This should not be handled politically as it is the right of every human to access healthcare despite the age or race. As such, the need to make the services provided by the healthcare sector is purely an issue of human rights. It is inhuman and unworthy for a patient to lose a limb which otherwise could not have been lost, or die due to lack of finances to pay for the medical bill. It stands out that many Americans, especially the unemployed and those who insure themselves, are not able to afford proper health care and end up not going to the hospital or getting treated well because the doctors are aware of their financial status. .Looking into the matter globally, a practical solution for this is having universal healthcare. Therefore, this paper seeks to look at the need of having Universal Healthcare in the U.S.

Universal health care is a single-payer health care system, whereby there is a universal coverage that provides health care and protects the financial status of the citizens despite social, cultural or economic factors (Berwick, Donald, Thomas, Nolan, and John 760). The goal of this kind of system is to bolster the delivery of improved health care services to the entire population, increase the accessibility of health services and protecting citizens from financial risks. Health care, in the United States, is currently based on a system whereby individuals have medical covers. Most of the population is covered by the employer insurance, therefore, exposing the self-employment and the unemployed to financial hardship risks when paying the medical bills. Comparing U.S with other countries, the country spends a substantial amount on health than any other country (Berwick, Donald, Thomas, Nolan, and John 764).Despite the enormous expenditure by the government, the health standards, for example, life expectancy is not as expected compared to countries that spend less on their health care systems (Berwick, Donald, Thomas, Nolan, and John 777).

The current state of the sector depicts that, the costs are relatively high but yet the population’s health status is not progressing to a better position. America’s health care crisis underlies on two dimensions; the significant cost of health care and restricted accessibility. However, the government has come up with programs to aid accessibility of health care. This includes; provision of medical care to the elderly through medical insurance and Medicaid which allows the state to provide insurance covers to individuals below a certain level of income. Nonetheless, more than 40 million American are not insured. Although they are under the Medicaid, their employers fail to offer an insurance cover, making it expensive for them to pay medical bills (Rachel and William 56).

Further, the health care costs have increased substantially, the medical coverage offered by the employees have reduced and both the government and business pay for the health care costs partially (Rachel and William 57). This is evident that health care system is not favorable to the Americans hence the U.S should embrace a universal health care framework, to facilitate the accessibility of health care to a majority of the Americans. Reforming the system is paramount at the state level. By adopting the Universal Healthcare plan, all American citizens will access the health care through a public Insurance Cover despite their employment status.

The major merit of this kind of health care system is that it ensures equal accessibility to health care services. Those who can afford and those who cannot afford the health care services are equalized. The Universal Health Care system ensures that the basic health care services are offered to all citizens despite their race or income (Rachel and William 60). It also ensures that the unemployed or those with difficulties to access the health care get it in a time of need or during emergencies. This is evident that Universal health care is of great advantage. Each individual in the society can access the health care despite their social status. As it is the right of every human to access quality medical care, and, as all human are equal, in this case, the poor cohorts would be able to access and get exact the type of health plan which otherwise could be afforded only by the rich. This brings about equality to all and every individual in the society is put on an equal level.

Another reason as to why the U.S ought to incorporate a universal health care is that through equality, there is improved public health. Taking into consideration the current labor force in America which is about 156 million, about 90 million people, do not contribute to the economy of the country (Rachel and William 63). This population spreads across the health costs so that at least everyone is able to access the basic health care that they require (Rachel and William 64 ).Instead of the government spending so much on health which is only beneficial to just a few of the citizens, the benefit should be widespread hence improving the health to the population. By having the universal health care system, as a majority are able to access healthcare, the level of illness in the general population is reduced resulting in a healthier population and increased productivity. The American’s are able to get free treatment without fear of the medical bills.

The Universal health care makes it easier to put everyone under the one system (Yates 2079). This ensures that the doctors concentrate more on treating the patients than looking on their insurance covers or other factors. This gives room to do away with the paper work. Ideally, insurance involves a lot of paper work as the patients need to authorize their insurance providers to allow the use of the insurance, for them to access the health care services. Further, the doctors need to confirm on the authorization of the insurance cover so as to proceed with the treatment. Through the universal system, the paperwork is not necessary; hence saves on time. In addition, the universal health care system can reduce the medical bankruptcies. In 2007, a research conducted on the health care sector showed that about 62% of all the bankruptcies experienced in the United States were as a result of medical expenses and related factors (Yates 2079).This type of bankruptcy can be reduced through the system leading to a healthier and wealthier nation.

In 2011, more than half of the Americans enjoyed and benefited from the insurance cover from their employer especially in the private sector (Yates 2081). There is a high cost involved in paying the insurance for the employees. This is a disadvantage in the business sector. The medical insurance system puts the private business in the United States in a disadvantage position in context to an international business environment. However, this can be solved through the Universal system whereby, the fund used for insurance can be used by business owners to invest more. This benefits the business as the labor cost is substantially reduced.

Most of the employed individuals in the U.S have the fear of quitting their jobs and being their own bosses. As such, most individuals fail to start businesses with the fear that they will lose the health care insurance that they enjoy from their employer. With the adoption of the Universal Healthcare, entrepreneurship is encouraged hence, self-employment could increase by 3% in the U.S (Gluckman 56). Further, as the universal health care ensures equality for all, it is no doubt that a healthier population leads to more productivity in the economy as cases of absentees and death are reduced. This raises the standard of living of individual’s hence economic productivity and increased economic growth to the U.S.

Globally, it is the right of every human being to access health care services. In 1948, The United Nations Declaration was made, which stated that every person is entitled to a proper health care, and has the right to a standard of living, not only for an individual but also for the entire family (Gluckman 58). Further, the United Stated in collaboration with the World Health Organization signed in a revolution which stated that every individual and members of the society needs easy access to the health care services comfortably without any financial constraints (Gluckman 59). This supports the Universal health carefully, as even patients with conditions such as epilepsy and terminal illnesses such as cancer can still have health coverage.

Conclusion

The U.S should have universal healthcare as it has great benefits to the nation. The benefits include a reduction in the cost of medical care hence, affordability and accessibility, a healthier population, and more productivity resulting in economic growth. Further, there are models that exist on the same issue. For instance, Germany and Canada have a working model whereby the healthcare system is on government-run insurance which has worked successfully for the countries. Additionally, America is the most powerful nation globally. Therefore, the government is capable of providing the universal health care to all for the benefit of the citizens to facilitate socio-economic prosperity.



Work Cited

Berwick, Donald M., Thomas W. Nolan, and John Whittington. "The triple aim: care, health, and cost." Health affairs 27.3 (2008): 759-769. Print.

Gluckman, M. D., et al. "Achieving a high-performance health care system with universal access: what the United States can learn from other countries." Ann Intern Med 148 (2008): 55-75. Print.

Rachel, and William C. Hsiao. "Does universal health insurance make health care unaffordable? Lessons from Taiwan." Health affairs 22.3 (2003): 77-88. 148 (2008): 55-75. Print.

Yates, Rob. "Universal health care and the removal of user fees." The Lancet 373.9680 (2009): 2078-2081. Print.