Lost In Haste

Ok, I had to write a paper on the issue of national health care, so here it is.  Feel free to post some comments, because I want to hear from you!!!

National Health Care

I have never worried about paying for food or insurance.  Unlike some of my friends, I have never had to choose between paying the rent while attending college or paying for insurance.  That is not a fair choice and one that no one should have to make.  Most western-industrialize countries have a national health insurance system, which provides equal heath care for all.  However, the United States is a notable exception in the fact that no national health system exists.  While there are many opponent of such a system, I believe the benefits of national health insurance would greatly outweigh any drawbacks.

According to Brux, national health insurance is a government program ensuing universal and comprehensive coverage of the population (Brux, 277).  The idea is that anyone who pays taxes, along with their dependents, would have access to most types of medial care, regardless of the cost.  Instead of the patients paying out of their own pocket or using a third party insurance company, the government would cover the cost of medial expenses rendered to the patient.

The befits of such a system are obvious.  Health care for all!  Everyone will be able to seek and receive quality medial aid, regardless of their income.  The poor, the rich, and everyone else in-between would be given the same treatment for the same illnesses.

Other benefits become clear upon further thought.  A national health care system would be a single player system, which according to Wikipedia is a type of financing system in which a single entity, typically a government-run organization, acts as the administrator (or “payer”) to collect all health care fees, and pay out all health care costs.  This would mean that third parties (which are the private insurance companies in our current system) would no longer exist and the money spent/wasted on the interaction between the user and the insurance company and the medial institution and the insurance company would be allocated somewhere else.  More money would be spent on the care of service, rather than the rules, regulation, and policies which currently suck the resources from users and medial institutions alike.

One final benefit would be preventive care.  In our current system, the majority of the individuals tend to limit the number of times they seek medial aid.  This is due to the co pays and premiums private insurance companies charge.  Often, there a number of visits to the doctor are limited by said company.  Instead of waiting till their condition worsens and then going to see a doctor, which tends to become even more expensive than if they had visited earlier on, with national health insurance, the individual will not have to worry about the number of times they can visit the doctor or the hospital.  They will be able to seek medical attention whenever they believe they need it.

However, nothing in life is free and everything has a cost.  How exactly would such a system as national health insurance be funded?  One way would be to raise taxes.  Many politicians (Republicans, of course) and a large portion of the general population would protest with varying degrees of strength.  However, one must keep in mind since a tax would be in place to cover medial expenses for all, the money we spend on insurance, prescription drugs, hospital visits, and other medical care would disappear.  No longer would bills be received in the mail and charged to our accounts.  Instead, the government, using the revenue collected from each taxpayer, would cover the costs.  All in all, we would just be exchanging one way of paying for medial service for another.

The benefits of adoption a system of national health insurance are very clear.  Those who can not afford regular doctor visits will be able to get inoculations and prenatal care.  Middleclass individuals who need expensive cancer treatment, but were previously unable to afford it, can finally receive the medial attention the desperately need.  The only groups of individuals who do not stand to gain by this are the wealthy.  However, they can afford insurance, food, and tuition all at once, so they can afford a little more tax on their revenue.

Bibliography

Brux, Jacqueline M. Economic Issues and Policy. 3rd ed. South-Western, 2005.

“Universal Health Care.” Wikipedia. 26 Jan. 2006. 23 July 2006 .