Universal health care is a policy which would allow free health care to everyone in the country, paid for by the government. This type of system is used in many countries, some more successfully than others. This type of health care system brings with it some controversy. When debating this issue, many controversial questions are generally asked.
Would Patients Have to Wait Longer?
One of the biggest issues that is often brought up when talking about universal healthcare is the possibility that patients would have to wait for the healthcare services that they need. For example, universal healthcare is offered in Canada and patients who need an MRI have to wait for months before they can gain access to one. During that wait, their condition could grow worse or they could die. When the government is in charge of health care, there is a possibility that patients would have to experience longer than average wait times for many of the things they need.
Can the Government Handle This System?
Another important issue to consider is whether the government can actually handle running a universal healthcare system. This type of system would involve a great deal of administration and the government has shown that it is not capable of running systems efficiently over an extended period of time. By looking at the Social Security system and Medicare, it is easy to see how this could possibly be a huge burden to the government. This could lead to even more problems for people who need care.
Would it Raise Taxes?
The possibility that taxes would be higher is likely in the long term. The government would have to come up with the money for universal health care in some way. Raising taxes would be inevitable at some point to pay for all the healthcare that the public needs. This means that everyone's health care expenses would ultimately rise because they are helping to subsidize those who are not healthy and take advantage of the system.
Would Companies Have Incentive to Innovate?
Under the current healthcare system, companies pour billions of dollars every year into research and development for cures to diseases and new drugs. When the government is in charge of the flow of money, private companies may not have much of an incentive to innovate. They will know that there is a maximum to how much they can charge for treatments or drugs and it may lead to less innovation. This could ultimately reduce the likelihood that cures for deadly diseases are found.
