pros and cons of universal health care essay

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The Pros and Cons of Electronic Health Records: A Comprehensive Guide

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have revolutionized healthcare by replacing traditional paper-based record-keeping with digital systems. This shift has significantly improved the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. However, like any technology, EHRs also have their share of advantages and disadvantages. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of electronic health records.

Advantages of Electronic Health Records

Improved accessibility: EHRs enable healthcare providers to access patient records from any location with an internet connection. This feature is particularly useful in emergencies where quick access to patient data can be lifesaving.

Enhanced accuracy: EHRs reduce the likelihood of errors that can arise from illegible handwriting or misplaced files. Moreover, EHRs allow for real-time updates that ensure information is always up-to-date.

Increased efficiency: EHR systems eliminate the need for manual data entry and paperwork, allowing doctors to spend more time with patients.

Disadvantages of Electronic Health Records

Costly implementation: The installation and maintenance costs associated with EHR systems can be a significant barrier for smaller healthcare providers.

Security concerns: Patient data stored in electronic health records is vulnerable to cyber attacks from hackers who seek to exploit vulnerabilities in the system.

Learning curve: It can take some time for healthcare providers to learn how to navigate electronic health record systems efficiently, which may lead to a temporary decrease in productivity.

Future Outlook for Electronic Health Records

Despite the challenges associated with implementing electronic health records, experts predict that their use will continue to grow in popularity over time. One potential area of growth lies in artificial intelligence (AI) applications that can analyze large volumes of patient data quickly and accurately, helping doctors make more informed diagnoses.

In conclusion, electronic health records have brought many benefits to the healthcare industry, such as improved accessibility, accuracy, and efficiency. However, they also present challenges such as implementation costs, security concerns, and a learning curve for healthcare providers. As technology continues to evolve, it’s likely that electronic health records will become even more sophisticated and integral to the delivery of quality healthcare.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons

Every citizen of every country in the world should be provided with free and high-quality medical services. Health care is a fundamental need for every human, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.

Universal health care is the provision of healthcare services by a government to all its citizens (insurancespecialists.com). This means each citizen can access medical services of standard quality. In the United States, about 25% of its citizens are provided with healthcare funded by the government. These citizens mainly comprise the elderly, the armed forces personnel, and the poor (insurancespecialists.com).

Introduction

Thesis statement.

• Universal Healthcare Pros
• Universal Healthcare Cons

Works Cited

In Russia, Canada, and some South American and European countries, the governments provide universal healthcare programs to all citizens. In the United States, the segments of society which do not receive health care services provided by the government usually pay for their health care coverage. This has emerged as a challenge, especially for middle-class citizens. Therefore, the universal health care provision in the United States is debatable: some support it, and some oppose it. This assignment is a discussion of the topic. It starts with a thesis statement, then discusses the advantages of universal health care provision, its disadvantages, and a conclusion, which restates the thesis and the argument behind it.

The government of the United States of America should provide universal health care services to its citizens because health care is a basic necessity to every citizen, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.

Universal Healthcare Provision Pros

The provision of universal health care services would ensure that doctors and all medical practitioners focus their attention only on treating the patients, unlike in the current system, where doctors and medical practitioners sped a lot of time pursuing issues of health care insurance for their patients, which is sometimes associated with malpractice and violation of medical ethics especially in cases where the patient is unable to adequately pay for his or her health care bills (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would also make health care service provision in the United States more efficient and effective. In the current system in which each citizen pays for his or her health care, there is a lot of inefficiency, brought about by the bureaucratic nature of the public health care sector (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal health care would also promote preventive health care, which is crucial in reducing deaths as well as illness deterioration. The current health care system in the United States is prohibitive of preventive health care, which makes many citizens to wait until their illness reach critical conditions due to the high costs of going for general medical check-ups. The cost of treating patients with advanced illnesses is not only expensive to the patients and the government but also leads to deaths which are preventable (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would be a worthy undertaking, especially due to the increased number of uninsured citizens, which currently stands at about 45 million (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would therefore promote access to health care services to as many citizens as possible, which would reduce suffering and deaths of citizens who cannot cater for their health insurance. As I mentioned in the thesis, health care is a basic necessity to all citizens and therefore providing health care services to all would reduce inequality in the service access.

Universal health care would also come at a time when health care has become seemingly unaffordable for many middle income level citizens and business men in the United States. This has created a nation of inequality, which is unfair because every citizen pays tax, which should be used by the government to provide affordable basic services like health care. It should be mentioned here that the primary role of any government is to protect its citizens, among other things, from illness and disease (Shi and Singh 188).

Lastly not the least, the provision of universal health care in the United States would work for the benefit of the country and especially the doctors because it would create a centralized information centre, with database of all cases of illnesses, diseases and their occurrence and frequency. This would make it easier to diagnose patients, especially to identify any new strain of a disease, which would further help in coming up with adequate medication for such new illness or disease (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal Healthcare Provision Cons

One argument against the provision of universal health care in the United States is that such a policy would require enormous spending in terms of taxes to cater for the services in a universal manner. Since health care does not generate extra revenue, it would mean that the government would either be forced to cut budgetary allocations for other crucial sectors of general public concern like defense and education, or increase the taxes levied on the citizens, thus becoming an extra burden to the same citizens (balancedpolitics.org).

Another argument against the provision of universal health care services is that health care provision is a complex undertaking, involving varying interests, likes and preferences.

The argument that providing universal health care would do away with the bureaucratic inefficiency does not seem to be realistic because centralizing the health care sector would actually increase the bureaucracy, leading to further inefficiencies, especially due to the enormous number of clientele to be served. Furthermore, it would lead to lose of business for the insurance providers as well as the private health care practitioners, majority of whom serve the middle income citizens (balancedpolitics.org).

Arguably, the debate for the provision of universal health care can be seen as addressing a problem which is either not present, or negligible. This is because there are adequate options for each citizen to access health care services. Apart from the government hospitals, the private hospitals funded by non-governmental organizations provide health care to those citizens who are not under any medical cover (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal health care provision would lead to corruption and rent seeking behavior among policy makers. Since the services would be for all, and may sometimes be limited, corruption may set in making the medical practitioners even more corrupt than they are because of increased demand of the services. This may further lead to deterioration of the very health care sector the policy would be aiming at boosting through such a policy.

The provision of universal health care would limit the freedom of the US citizens to choose which health care program is best for them. It is important to underscore that the United States, being a capitalist economy is composed of people of varying financial abilities.

The provision of universal health care would therefore lower the patients’ flexibility in terms of how, when and where to access health care services and why. This is because such a policy would throw many private practitioners out of business, thus forcing virtually all citizens to fit in the governments’ health care program, which may not be good for everyone (Niles 293).

Lastly not the least, the provision of universal health care would be unfair to those citizens who live healthy lifestyles so as to avoid lifestyle diseases like obesity and lung cancer, which are very common in America. Many of the people suffering from obesity suffer due to their negligence or ignorance of health care advice provided by the government and other health care providers. Such a policy would therefore seem to unfairly punish those citizens who practice good health lifestyles, at the expense of the ignorant (Niles 293).

After discussing the pros and cons of universal health care provision in the United States, I restate my thesis that “The government of United States of America should provide universal health care to its citizens because health care is a basic necessity to every citizen, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, and socio economic status”, and argue that even though there are arguments against the provision of universal health care, such arguments, though valid, are not based on the guiding principle of that health care is a basic necessity to all citizens of the United States.

The arguments are also based on capitalistic way of thinking, which is not sensitive to the plight of many citizens who are not able to pay for their insurance health care cover.

The idea of providing universal health care to Americans would therefore save many deaths and unnecessary suffering by many citizens. Equally important to mention is the fact that such a policy may be described as a win win policy both for the rich and the poor or middle class citizens because it would not in any way negatively affect the rich, because as long as they have money, they would still be able to customize their health care through the employment family or personal doctors as the poor and the middle class go for the universal health care services.

Balanced politics. “Should the Government Provide Free Universal Health Care for All Americans?” Balanced politics: universal health . Web. Balanced politics.org. 8 august https://www.balancedpolitics.org/universal_health_care.htm

Insurance specialists. “Growing Support for Universal Health Care”. Insurance information portal. Web. Insurance specialists.com 8 august 2011. https://insurancespecialists.com/

Niles, Nancy. Basics of the U.S. Health Care System . Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2010:293. Print.

Shi, Leiyu and Singh, Douglas. Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach . Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2004:188. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2023, February 18). Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/

"Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." IvyPanda , 18 Feb. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons'. 18 February.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

1. IvyPanda . "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

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The Pros And Cons Of Universal Health Care System

The implementation of a universal health care system in the United States is an important challenge that needs to be overcome. There are numerous amount of editorial that argue on both sides of the debate. Some people argue that a universal health care system would bring costs down and increase access to care while others argue that a universal health care system would be too expensive and reduce the quality of care. The correct answer requires intensive understanding and economics to overcome, the arguments must be examined for a proper answer. Health care is one of the most debated issues in the United States today and it 's necessary to understand the basics of this problem. Approximately 50 million people living in the United …show more content…

More than one-third of Americans who are between the ages of nineteen and twenty-four are uninsured. This is because most insurance is provided through a person’s job, and entry-level jobs which isn 't available for all young students. In addition, healthcare costs are currently rising faster than inflation, which means that salary increases cannot compensate for the higher prices of health care. Government regulation and a universal system could help keep costs affordable. A universal system would guarantee that everyone could receive health care regardless of preexisting conditions. Consequently, more people would be able to seek preventative services, like checkups, to maintain good health and detect problems early. Too frequently, people avoid taking preventative health measures until something is too late because of how expensive it is. While there 's a debate over how the U.S. should pay for a universal healthcare system, a good idea is to study the ways several other countries have successfully implemented such a system. Europe has a system in which all residents pay into a common fund that creates a pool of money and provides benefits to all. We must figure out a way to effectively adopt a universal healthcare system that provides care to all …show more content…

A universal healthcare system is a great idea in theory, but in actuality, no one has figured out a reasonable proposal for where the money should come from. Economists claim that more than 2 trillion dollars are spent on health care each year. That’s over $6,000 per person. It would be reasonable to assume that universal health care would cause the already grand cost of health care in the United States to increase even more. The most likely outcome is that taxpayers would have to pay into a large pool from which everyone would draw for their health needs. This would create several problems. First, it would raise taxes for everyone. It would also mean, fundamentally, that many people who choose a healthy lifestyle would be required to pay the same amount as people who choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle, which hardly seems fair. Finally, a universal healthcare system could lead to huge increases in unemployment. All of the Americans who are currently employed with private insurance companies could suddenly find themselves without work. Government regulation could lead to decreased salaries for doctors. This hardly seems like a more

In this essay, the author

• Opines that the implementation of a universal health care system in the united states is an important challenge that needs to be overcome.
• Explains that health care is one of the most debated issues in the united states today and it's necessary to understand the basics of this problem.
• Argues that americans have a right to health care, and the government has an obligation to support that right.
• Analyzes how the opponents of a universal health care system in the u.s. use cited sources and statistics as evidence similar to the proponents of this system.
• Opines that the best answer is still unknown but from the arguments represented, we can better understand a solution.

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Organizational Systems And Quality Leadership

On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.

HMO Regulation

In conclusion, there still needs to be a lot of work done to health care in the United States. Other nations provide universal health care to their citizens, but this would cause dilemmas in balancing two often conflicting policy goals: providing the public with equitable access to needed pharmaceuticals while controlling the costs. Universal health care probably would not work in the U.S. because our nation is so diverse and our economy is so complex. The system we have now obviously has its problems, and there is a lot of rom for improvement. HMO’s will still create problems for people and their medical bills, but they definitely should be monitored to see that their patients are receiving just treatment.

Universal Health Care Ethos Pathos Logos

According to editorial one, universal health care is a right that every American should be able to obtain. The author provides the scenario that insurance companies reject people with preexisting conditions and that people typically wait to receive health care until it's too much of a problem due to the extreme costs. Both of these scenarios are common among Americans so the author uses those situations to appeal to the readers' emotions. Editorial one also includes logical evidence that America could follow Canada's and Europe's universal health care systems because both of those nations are excelling in it.

Universal Healthcare: The Wrong Type of Change

Healthcare professionals want only to provide the best care and comfort for their patients. In today’s world, advances in healthcare and medicine have made their task of doing so much easier, allowing previously lethal diseases to be diagnosed and treated with proficiency and speed. A majority of people in the United States have health insurance and enjoy the luxury of convenient, easy to access health care services, with annual checkups, preventative care, and their own personal doctor ready to diagnose and provide treatment for even the most trivial of symptoms. Many of these people could not imagine living a day without the assurance that, when needed, medical care would not be available to themselves and their loved ones. However, millions of American citizens currently live under these unimaginable conditions, going day to day without the security of frequent checkups, prescription medicine, or preventative medicines that could prevent future complications in their health. Now with the rising unemployment rates due to the current global recession, even more Americans are becoming uninsured, and the flaws in the United States’ current healthcare system are being exposed. In order to amend these flaws, some are looking to make small changes to fix the current healthcare system, while others look to make sweeping changes and remodel the system completely, favoring a more socialized, universal type of healthcare system. Although it is certain that change is needed, universal healthcare is not the miracle cure that will solve the systems current ailments. Universal healthcare should not be allowed to take form in America as it is a menace to the capitalist principle of a free market, threatens to put a stranglehold on for-...

The Pros And Cons Of Universal Health Care

Universal health coverage allows citizens of a particular country access to health care of all kinds, should they so need it, without exposing the user to financial hardship from medical expenses. The World Health Organization has created three objectives for universal health coverage: (1) equity in access to health services – those who need the services should get them, not just those who can pay for them; (2) that the quality of health services is good enough to improve the health of those receiving services; and (3) there is financial risk protection to ensure that the cost of using care does not put people at risk of financial hardship (WHO, 2013). While virtually every developed country besides the United States has some form of universal

Pros And Cons Of Universal Healthcare

The United States healthcare system should not be universal because the government should not decide the healthcare choices of it’s citizens. Citizens should be allowed to choose the doctor and coverage they want at the price they are willing to pay. Universal healthcare would not only degrade the medical industry, but it will force people to pay for something they don’t necessarily need, or want. The current healthcare system is a perfect example of government intervention of a free market. Such a system violates the rights of patients, doctors, and businessmen.

Argumentative Essay On Obama Care

In recent years, the number of Americans who are uninsured has reached over 45 million citizens, with millions more who only have the very basic of insurance, effectively under insured. With the growing budget cuts to medicaid and the decreasing amount of employers cutting back on their health insurance options, more and more americans are put into positions with poor health care or no access to it at all. At the heart of the issue stems two roots, one concerning the morality of universal health care and the other concerning the economic effects. Many believe that health care reform at a national level is impossible or impractical, and so for too long now our citizens have stood by as our flawed health-care system has transformed into an unfixable mess. The good that universal healthcare would bring to our nation far outweighs the bad, however, so, sooner rather than later, it is important for us to strive towards a society where all people have access to healthcare.

Problems With the U.S. Healthcare System

The U.S. healthcare system is very complex in structure hence it can be appraised with diverse perspectives. From one viewpoint it is described as the most unparalleled health care system in the world, what with the cutting-edge medical technology, the high quality human resources, and the constantly-modernized facilities that are symbolic of the system. This is in addition to the proliferation of innovations aimed at increasing life expectancy and enhancing the quality of life as well as diagnostic and treatment options. At the other extreme are the fair criticisms of the system as being fragmented, inefficient and costly. What are the problems with the U.S. healthcare system? These are the questions this opinion paper tries to propound.

Arguments Against Universal Healthcare

In 2012 without universal healthcare medicaid and children's healthcare took up about 21%of the nations federal budget. The increase of universal healthcare could increase the wait time for medical services, medicaid is an example of a federally funded single payer health care system, according to a 2012 GAO report 9.4% medicaid beneficiaries had trouble obtaining necessary care due to longer waits. in conclusion universal health care would not be beneficial over all because it can cause just as many issues as it helps

Rethinking the U.S. Health Care System: A Call for Efficiency

While most countries around the world have some form of universal national health care system, the United States, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, does not. There are much more benefits to the U.S. adopting a dorm of national health care system than to keep its current system, which has proved to be unnecessarily expensive, complicated, and overall inefficient.

Persuasive Essay On Universal Healthcare

Have you ever gotten hurt and worried about having to go to the doctor and the financial burden it would have on you? Did you ever wish that you could afford healthcare that would cover you and no cost you thousands of dollars? Recently, the US has been considering a Universal Healthcare System to provide all citizens with affordable healthcare. However, they are at an impasse due to the acknowledgment of not just the gains of a Universal Healthcare System but also the burdens it can impose on the US as a whole. The US must address everything good and bad before deciding whether a Universal Healthcare System would be what is best for the US and the people living in it.

Universal Healthcare Arguments

In the USA the quality and quanity of primary care will render better health for the people. Universal healthcare, “will be associated with better population health outcomes including lower mortality rates, rates of premature death and hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions and higher infant birth weight, life expectancy, and satifaction with the healthcare system”(Niti, Ng). “Studies in the US have also indicated that universal healthcare availabitity in community is correlated with both better health outcomes and decrease in utilization of more expensive types of health services” (Chang). Broader health care coverage leads to tremendous population health improvements. There are 45 million people in the USA that are uninsured, with universal healthcare every person will have access to care. This could mean life or death for many people, if they can catch an illness early that is improved healthcare. This should be obvious to the average person, the thought process should be to say yes the USA needs universal

Universal Healthcare: The Superior and Necessary Choice

Universal health care refers to any system of health care managed by the government. The health care system may cover different programs including government run hospitals and health organizations and programs targeted at providing health care. Many developed countries such as Canada and United Kingdom have embraced universal health care with the United States being the only exception. The present U.S health care system has often been considered inefficient in terms of cost control as millions of Americans remain uncovered. This has made it the subject of a heated debate characterized by people who argue that the country requires a kind of socialized system that will permit increased government participation. Others have tended to support privatized health care, or a combined model of private and universal health care that will permit private companies to offer health care for a specific fee. Universal healthcare has numerous advantages that remain hidden from society. First, the federal government can apply economies of scale in managing health facilities which would reduce health care expenses. Second, all unnecessary expenses would be eliminated by requiring all states to bring together all the insurance companies into a single entity whose mandate would be to provide health insurance to all people. Lastly, increased government participation will guarantee quality care, improve access to medical services and address critical problems relating to market failure.

The Universal Healthcare System

One of the most commonly debated topics in recent American history has been that of health care. Would Americans be able to reap more benefits if individuals continue to be independent in their pursuits of health care, or would it be beneficial for all if the government introduced more regulations regarding health care, changing our system to resemble those of other developed countries? As more solutions are offered, it becomes harder for people to reach a consensus on the best way to approach this issue. Despite this, America must decide what system of healthcare will benefit the most citizens and improve the quality of life the most. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a universal healthcare system would be the most effective and

Persuasive Essay: The United States is not The Greatest Country in The World

Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...

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Pros and Cons of a Universal Healthcare

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Universal Healthcare System: Advantages and Disadvantages

Introduction, works cited.

The United States is the only country in the developed world that does not have a universal health care system. The United States pursues a predominantly private health care system with little government intervention. However, the system is in a deep crisis. High insurance premiums and high out-of-pocket user fees have lowered the accessibility of medical and health care to many American citizens. Approximately 47 million Americans are uninsured (Watson and Ovseiko, p.226). The crisis currently facing the United States health care system is the reason behind the heated debate about whether or not the United States should adopt a universal health care system.

A universal health care system provides access to necessary health care to all citizens regardless of their level of income, employment status or age. The advantage of this accessibility is that it encourages citizens to seek early treatment before their medical conditions worsen. As a result, the system eliminates inequality that is usually created by a private health care system. Citizens of countries with universal health care systems do not have to worry or think about bills whenever they fall ill because the health care services are provided freely.

On the other hand, many citizens in countries with predominantly private health care systems wait until their medical conditions are at a later stage before they seek any medical attention. Many times, the medical attention is sought when it is already too late such that the health condition cannot be cured. This normally happens because of the costs involved in a private health care system which discourage citizens from accessing health care facilities as often as they should. As a result, residents of countries with universal health care systems (such as Canada) are relatively healthier compared to residents in countries with private health care systems. According to Gilles, “Canadians have a longer life span and their mortality rates are lower because of the availability and accessibility of health care,” (p.129).

A universal health care system also reduces the administrative costs involved in health care. This is because administration is done from a centralized location. The private health care system on the other hand is laden with great amount of paperwork and requirements that patients must fulfill before they receive any medical attention. For instance, patients are always required to fill out their medical history and to answer endless questions. To worsen the situation, the doctors and other health care professionals keep their own records leading to duplication of records.

A universal health care system avoids the duplication of such record keeping since the records are kept in one central place. As Holtz states, “a universal healthcare plan allows us to build one centralized system. There is no need for maintaining insurance information or wasting time submitting claims,” (p.73). The high administrative costs involved in private health care system make the universal health care system relatively cheaper. For instance, Canada’s total health care expenditures as a share of Gross Domestic Product has always been below 10 percent whereas the U.S total health expenditures as a share of GDP has always been above 13 percent. Despite these advantages of the universal health care system, this system is not without its demerits (Holtz, p.81).

A universal health care system is almost always accompanied by long queues, long waiting times and poor quality of goods and services (Gilles, p.131). According to the law of demand, the lower the price of any good or service, the higher will be the demand and vice versa. A universal health insurance system causes an increase in the number of people accessing health and medical services. The result of the increased demand is that there are long queues of people seeking medical attention forcing the healthcare professionals to put more people in their waiting lists. This is different from the private health care system in which people receive medical attention immediately they go to a health care facility. In addition, the high demand for medical and health services reduces the quality of services and goods provided by the universal system.

A universal system discourages people from pursuing the field of medicine due to lack of profit incentives. Since doctors and other health care professionals are paid by the government, there are no profit incentives like those present in the private health care system (Holtz, p.77). The system also suffers from brain drain because healthcare professionals are forced to move to other countries where the pay and incentives are more attractive. This is common in Canada which pursues a universal health care system. The ultimate result is a decline in the quality of health care services.

A universal health care system has several disadvantages such as long waiting times, long queues, poor quality of services and care, brain drain and shortage of staff. However its advantages include increased accessibility of medical care to all citizens, affordability and reduced administrative costs, making the universal health care system more favorable than the private health care system.

Gilles, Alan. What Makes a Good Healthcare System? Comparisons, Values, Drivers. Massachusetts: Radcliffe Publishing, 2003.

Holtz, Carol. Global Health Care: Issues and Policies. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2007.

Watson, Jonathan and Pavel Ovseiko. Health Care Systems: Major Themes in Health and Social Welfare. New York: Routledge, 2005.

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Essay On Universal Healthcare

Universal healthcare has been a hot topic in our country for several years now. There are pros and cons to having universal healthcare. For this discussion board post, I will share why I believe that our country should not have universal healthcare. I will give a definition of universal healthcare, followed by why I believe that America should not have universal healthcare with supporting facts. First, it is important to understand what universal healthcare is. It can be defined in three parts: 1. All have access to healthcare, regardless of the ability to pay. 2. The quality of care received, should improve their health. 3. The cost of obtaining health care should not cause financial harm to the person obtaining care ("universal coverage," …show more content…

Now I will discuss some basic things. All men are created equal, as it states in the Declaration of Independence, but it does not say that all have a right to healthcare ("Declaration of Independence," 2018). I believe that this answers the question that there is not a moral obligation for all to receive healthcare benefit. For those that need healthcare, there are clinics, community resources and government healthcare available for the needy. This is where the government already is helping. They have Medicaid and CHIP, for those that have a need and are unable to obtain health insurance on their own. For other people that want healthcare coverage, they should pursue getting it, but it should not be a “right” to have it. In conclusion, healthcare is not a right, but a choice. Universal healthcare would ultimately put our country in a worse financial position, than it already is in. The deficit and debt would be tremendous. Giving the government all control of healthcare would push the United States towards socialism. I agree that all men are created equal, however insurance is a commodity to buy not a right to have. For the very needy, our great government already has federally funded plans to

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Argumentative Essay: Is Universal Healthcare Good For America?

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In addition to the dismay of many healthcare professionals, patients, and citizens who are uninsured, several flaws about the current healthcare system show the necessity for reform. The three flaws that exacerbate the current healthcare crisis are: the tax code and tax breaks, the lack of preventable care and adequate care of chronic diseases, and administrative costs. A single payer, universal healthcare system can resolve the major flaws of the

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Universal health care is a valuable service and should be available in all countries. In many countries millions of people suffer from not having access to healthcare they deserve or not being able to pay for the healthcare they need. In the states alone, an estimated 50 million people do not have insurance because of the inability to pay for it. Universal health care would be beneficial to all countries because it would not exclude anyone from getting the necessary help, it would prevent the insurance companies from denying care, and it would contribute to preventative care to take place.

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We should care for everyone who lives in our country even if we don’t know each other. None one should ever be left behind to suffer or see other people suffer from something that can be easily cured. Healthcare would save tons of lives, keep our nation whole, and make everyone strong again. Universal healthcare for everyone would save the lives of children whose parents can’t afford to pay for their insurance.

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As Bernie Sanders once said, “Health care must be recognized as a right, not a privilege.” Most developed countries choose to live by this quote while the United States of America chooses to go against it. Universal health care has benefits on multiple levels, whether it’s a single individual or the people in a whole. The U.S is one of the few developed countries that doesn’t offer universal health care to their people, yet the U.S spends more than seventeen percent of their GDP on health insurance. Many people believe that universal health care is a simple one solution problem, but the truth is that there are multiple forms of universal health care that provide all citizens with the health insurance they need.

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This is so because, universal access to health will really do good to the world and it is a Necessity in order to reduce the level of discrimination experienced in terms of finances . Universal access to health will ensure that there will be access to equitable quality health care and will also give security to those who are financially incapable at the present to afford quality health care die to their financial status. Although this may be the case in the future, there will face challenges especially in implementing the regulations that would be set up in order to enable equal distribution of medical resource and

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Healthcare in the United States is in desperate need of reform. There are several rationales to further explain this proposition. As an illustration, the Declaration of Independence states our unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In other words, every individual should be entitled to healthcare as it preserves life and promotes the general welfare. The federal government should, therefore, enact a program of universal health to better protect and serve all of its citizens.

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Universal Healthcare in the United States of America: A Healthy Debate

Gabriel zieff.

1 Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; ude.cnu.liame@rrekz (Z.Y.K.); [email protected] (L.S.)

Zachary Y. Kerr

Justin b. moore.

2 Department of Implementation Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; ude.htlaehekaw@eroomsuj

This commentary offers discussion on the pros and cons of universal healthcare in the United States. Disadvantages of universal healthcare include significant upfront costs and logistical challenges. On the other hand, universal healthcare may lead to a healthier populace, and thus, in the long-term, help to mitigate the economic costs of an unhealthy nation. In particular, substantial health disparities exist in the United States, with low socio–economic status segments of the population subject to decreased access to quality healthcare and increased risk of non-communicable chronic conditions such as obesity and type II diabetes, among other determinants of poor health. While the implementation of universal healthcare would be complicated and challenging, we argue that shifting from a market-based system to a universal healthcare system is necessary. Universal healthcare will better facilitate and encourage sustainable, preventive health practices and be more advantageous for the long-term public health and economy of the United States.

1. Introduction

Healthcare is one of the most significant socio–political topics in the United States (U.S.), and citizens currently rank “healthcare” as the most important issue when it comes to voting [ 1 ]. The U.S. has historically utilized a mixed public/private approach to healthcare. In this approach, citizens or businesses can obtain health insurance from private (e.g., Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente) insurance companies, while individuals may also qualify for public (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, Veteran’s Affairs), government-subsidized health insurance. In contrast, the vast majority of post-industrial, Westernized nations have used various approaches to provide entirely or largely governmentally subsidized, universal healthcare to all citizens regardless of socio–economic status (SES), employment status, or ability to pay. The World Health Organization defines universal healthcare as “ensuring that all people have access to needed health services (including prevention, promotion, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation) of sufficient quality to be effective while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user the financial hardship” [ 2 ]. Importantly, the Obama-era passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) sought to move the U.S. closer to universal healthcare by expanding health coverage for millions of Americans (e.g., via Medicaid expansion, launch of health insurance marketplaces for private coverage) including for citizens across income levels, age, race, and ethnicity.

Differing versions of universal healthcare are possible. The United Kingdom’s National Health Services can be considered a fairly traditional version of universal healthcare with few options for, and minimal use of, privatized care [ 3 ]. On the other hand, European countries like Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany have utilized a blended system with substantial government and market-based components [ 4 , 5 ]. For example, Germany uses a multi-payer healthcare system in which subsidized health care is widely available for low-income citizens, yet private options—which provide the same quality and level of care as the subsidized option—are also available to higher income individuals. Thus, universal healthcare does not necessarily preclude the role of private providers within the healthcare system, but rather ensures that equity and effectiveness of care at population and individual levels are a reference and expectation for the system as a whole. In line with this, versions of universal healthcare have been implemented by countries with diverse political backgrounds (e.g., not limited to traditionally “socialist/liberal” countries), including some with very high degrees of economic freedom [ 6 , 7 ].

Determining the degree to which a nation’s healthcare is “universal” is complex and is not a “black and white” issue. For example, government backing, public will, and basic financing structure, among many other factors must be extensively considered. While an in-depth analysis of each of these factors is beyond the scope of this commentary, there are clear advantages and disadvantages to purely private, market-based, and governmental, universal approaches to healthcare, as well as for policies that lie somewhere in-between. This opinion piece will highlight arguments for and against universal healthcare in the U.S., followed by the authors’ stance on this issue and concluding remarks.

2. Argument against Universal Healthcare

Though the majority of post-industrial Westernized nations employ a universal healthcare model, few—if any—of these nations are as geographically large, populous, or ethnically/racially diverse as the U.S. Different regions in the U.S. are defined by distinct cultural identities, citizens have unique religious and political values, and the populace spans the socio–economic spectrum. Moreover, heterogenous climates and population densities confer different health needs and challenges across the U.S. [ 8 ]. Thus, critics of universal healthcare in the U.S. argue that implementation would not be as feasible—organizationally or financially—as other developed nations [ 9 ]. There is indeed agreement that realization of universal healthcare in the U.S. would necessitate significant upfront costs [ 10 ]. These costs would include those related to: (i) physical and technological infrastructural changes to the healthcare system, including at the government level (i.e., federal, state, local) as well as the level of the provider (e.g., hospital, out-patient clinic, pharmacy, etc.); (ii) insuring/treating a significant, previously uninsured, and largely unhealthy segment of the population; and (iii) expansion of the range of services provided (e.g., dental, vision, hearing) [ 10 ].

The cost of a universal healthcare system would depend on its structure, benefit levels, and extent of coverage. However, most proposals would entail increased federal taxes, at least for higher earners [ 4 , 11 , 12 ]. One proposal for universal healthcare recently pushed included options such as a 7.5% payroll tax plus a 4% income tax on all Americans, with higher-income citizens subjected to higher taxes [ 13 ]. However, outside projections suggest that these tax proposals would not be sufficient to fund this plan. In terms of the national economic toll, cost estimations of this proposal range from USD 32 to 44 trillion across 10 years, while deficit estimations range from USD 1.1 to 2.1 trillion per year [ 14 ].

Beyond individual and federal costs, other common arguments against universal healthcare include the potential for general system inefficiency, including lengthy wait-times for patients and a hampering of medical entrepreneurship and innovation [ 3 , 12 , 15 , 16 ]. Such critiques are not new, as exemplified by rhetoric surrounding the Clinton Administration’s Health Security Act which was labeled as “government meddling” in medical care that would result in “big government inefficiency” [ 12 , 15 ]. The ACA has been met with similar resistance and bombast (e.g., the “repeal and replace” right-leaning rallying cry) as a result of perceived inefficiency and unwanted government involvement. As an example of lengthy wait times associated with universal coverage, in 2017 Canadians were on waiting lists for an estimated 1,040,791 procedures, and the median wait time for arthroplastic surgery was 20–52 weeks [ 17 ]. Similarly, average waiting time for elective hospital-based care in the United Kingdom is 46 days, while some patients wait over a year (3). Increased wait times in the U.S. would likely occur—at least in the short term—as a result of a steep rise in the number of primary and emergency care visits (due to eliminating the financial barrier to seek care), as well as general wastefulness, inefficiency, and disorganization that is often associated with bureaucratic, government-run agencies.

3. Argument for Universal Healthcare

Universal healthcare in the U.S., which may or may not include private market-based options, offer several noteworthy advantages compared to exclusive systems with inequitable access to quality care including: (i) addressing the growing chronic disease crisis; (ii) mitigating the economic costs associated with said crisis; (iii) reducing the vast health disparities that exist between differing SES segments of the population; and (iv) increasing opportunities for preventive health initiatives [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Perhaps the most striking advantage of a universal healthcare system in the U.S. is the potential to address the epidemic level of non-communicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, and obesity, all of which strain the national economy [ 22 , 23 ]. The economic strain associated with an unhealthy population is particularly evident among low SES individuals. Having a low SES is associated with many unfavorable health determinants, including decreased access to, and quality of health insurance which impact health outcomes and life expectancies [ 24 ]. Thus, the low SES segments of the population are in most need of accessible, quality health insurance, and economic strain results from an unhealthy and uninsured low SES [ 25 , 26 ]. For example, diabetics with low SES have a greater mortality risk than diabetics with higher SES, and the uninsured diabetic population is responsible for 55% more emergency room visits each year than their insured diabetic counterparts [ 27 , 28 ]. Like diabetes, hypertension—the leading risk factor for death worldwide [ 29 ], has a much higher prevalence among low SES populations [ 30 ]. It is estimated that individuals with uncontrolled hypertension have more than USD 2000 greater annual healthcare costs than their normotensive counterparts [ 31 ]. Lastly, the incidence of obesity is also much greater among low SES populations [ 32 ]. The costs of obesity in the U.S., when limited to lost productivity alone, have been projected to equate to USD 66 billion annually [ 33 ]. Accessible, affordable healthcare may enable earlier intervention to prevent—or limit risk associated with—non-communicable chronic diseases, improve the overall public health of the U.S., and decrease the economic strain associated with an unhealthy low-SES.

Preventive Initiatives within A Universal Healthcare Model

Beyond providing insurance coverage for a substantial, uninsured, and largely unhealthy segment of society—and thereby reducing disparities and unequal access to care among all segments of the population—there is great potential for universal healthcare models to embrace value-based care [ 4 , 20 , 34 ]. Value-based care can be thought of as appropriate and affordable care (tackling wastes), and integration of services and systems of care (i.e., hospital, primary, public health), including preventive care that considers the long-term health and economy of a nation [ 34 , 35 ]. In line with this, the ACA has worked in parallel with population-level health programs such as the Healthy People Initiative by targeting modifiable determinants of health including physical activity, obesity, and environmental quality, among others [ 36 ]. Given that a universal healthcare plan would force the government to pay for costly care and treatments related to complications resulting from preventable, non-communicable chronic diseases, the government may be more incentivized to (i) offer primary prevention of chronic disease risk prior to the onset of irreversible complications, and (ii) promote wide-spread preventive efforts across multiple societal domains. It is also worth acknowledging here that the national public health response to the novel Coronavirus-19 virus is a salient and striking contemporary example of a situation in which there continues to be a need to expeditiously coordinate multiple levels of policy, care, and prevention.

Preventive measures lessen costs associated with an uninsured and/or unhealthy population [ 37 ]. For example, investing USD 10 per person annually in community-based programs aimed at combatting physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and smoking in the U.S. could save more than USD 16 billion annually within five years, equating to a return of USD 5.60 for every dollar spent [ 38 ]. Another recent analysis suggests that if 18% more U.S. elementary-school children participated in 25 min of physical activity three times per week, savings attributed to medical costs and productivity would amount to USD 21.9 billion over their lifetime [ 39 ]. Additionally, simple behavioral changes can have major clinical implications. For example, simply brisk walking for 30 min per day (≥15 MET-hours/week) has been associated with a 50% reduction in type II diabetes [ 40 ]. While universal healthcare does not necessarily mean that health policies supporting prevention will be enacted, it may be more likely to promote healthy (i) lifestyle behaviors (e.g., physical activity), (ii) environmental factors (e.g., safe, green spaces in low and middle-income communities), and (iii.) policies (e.g., banning sweetened beverages in public schools) compared to a non-inclusive system [ 34 , 35 , 36 ].

Nordic nations provide an example of inclusive healthcare coupled with multi-layered preventive efforts [ 41 ]. In this model, all citizens are given the same comprehensive healthcare while social determinants of health are targeted. This includes “mobilizing and coordinating a large number of players in society,” which encourages cooperation among “players” including municipal political bodies, voluntary organizations, and educational institutions [ 41 ]. Developmental and infrastructural contributions from multiple segments of society to a healthcare system may also better encourage government accountability compared to a system in which a select group of private insurers and citizens are the only “stakeholders.” Coordinated efforts on various non-insurance-related fronts have focused on obesity, mental health, and physical activity [ 41 ]. Such coordinated efforts within the Nordic model have translated to positive health outcomes. For example, the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index provides an overall score of 0–100 (0 being the worst) for healthcare access and quality across 195 countries and reflects rates of 32 preventable causes of death. Nordic nations had an average HAQ score of 95.4, with four of the five nations achieving scores within the top 10 worldwide [ 42 ]. Though far more heterogenous compared to Nordic nations, (e.g., culturally, geographically, racially, etc.), the U.S. had a score of 89 (29th overall) [ 42 ]. To provide further context, other industrialized nations, which are more comparable to the U.S. than Nordic nations, also ranked higher than the U.S. including Germany (92, 19th overall), Canada (94, 14th overall), Switzerland (96, 7th overall), and the Netherlands (96, 3rd overall) [ 42 ].

4. Conclusions

Non-inclusive, inequitable systems limit quality healthcare access to those who can afford it or have employer-sponsored insurance. These policies exacerbate health disparities by failing to prioritize preventive measures at the environmental, policy, and individual level. Low SES segments of the population are particularly vulnerable within a healthcare system that does not prioritize affordable care for all or address important determinants of health. Failing to prioritize comprehensive, affordable health insurance for all members of society and straying further from prevention will harm the health and economy of the U.S. While there are undoubtedly great economic costs associated with universal healthcare in the U.S., we argue that in the long-run, these costs will be worthwhile, and will eventually be offset by a healthier populace whose health is less economically burdensome. Passing of the Obama-era ACA was a positive step forward as evident by the decline in uninsured U.S. citizens (estimated 7–16.4 million) and Medicare’s lower rate of spending following the legislation [ 43 ]. The U.S. must resist the current political efforts to dislodge the inclusive tenets of the Affordable Care Act. Again, this is not to suggest that universal healthcare will be a cure-all, as social determinants of health must also be addressed. However, addressing these determinants will take time and universal healthcare for all U.S. citizens is needed now. Only through universal and inclusive healthcare will we be able to pave an economically sustainable path towards true public health.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, G.Z., Z.Y.K., J.B.M., and L.S.; writing-original draft preparation, G.Z.; writing-review and editing, Z.Y.K., J.B.M., and L.S.; supervision, L.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Pros And Cons Of Universal Health Care System

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