Universal healthcare is currently not widely available in the United States. However, the ability to access adequate healthcare should be available regardless of financial restrictions, instead of being made a privilege.
But what really is universal healthcare? It is the term used to describe healthcare systems which are readily available to all residents of a country. An example of this is the NHS. How, though, does a system like the NHS differ to the medical system currently in place in the USA? In America, if someone falls ill, they will most likely pay something for the treatment, family doctor visits or hospital appointments they require. If an individual is insured, they have peace of mind when it comes to paying for medical care, as most insurance companies pay the majority, minimizing the amount that insured citizens must pay out of pocket. The 13% of the United States of America who do not have access to health insurance, however, can end up paying thousands of dollars on a medical bill, if not more.
Why is this such a problem though? Without access to medical insurance, and by some extent medical care, millions of low income families are lacking essential medical attention, which could potentially save them from life or death situations. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, people of colour are more likely to be uninsured. This can create a big obstacle, particularly for pregnant African-American women, who are actually 5x more likely to die of a pregnancy related cause than their white counterparts. This is an issue which opens into a deeper problem: the cycle of systemic racism in the USA. Often those without healthcare insurance are those who have low income jobs, or no jobs at all. Often (but not always), the jobless may not have had the chance to go to a good school and/or university, another factor highlighted in the systemic racism cycle.
But why does the United States not have a universal healthcare system then? Surely they realize that several lives could potentially be at stake if adequate healthcare is inaccessible? The healthcare sector contributed to 17.1% of the total economy in 2017, making it the 4th largest industry contributing to the overall economy (as of August 1st 2017). However, the right to universal healthcare would seriously impact this, and could potentially worsen the United States’ debt and deficit. It could also lead the US to socialistic views. The universal healthcare system would also worsen the doctor shortages in the USA and potentially see the wages of doctors, nurses and other hospital workers drop. Another proposed effect of the concept of universal healthcare is overuse of the available resources, which would in itself increase waiting times for appointments. The controversy of the topic is clear, as universal healthcare could see screening quality and availability drop.
In conclusion, there are several reasons why the federal government of the United States has not yet made the transition between paid healthcare and universal healthcare. Some of these reasons are socio-economical, some as a result of years of a cycle, and some that overlap. But I implore you to think on this: what good is a rich country without healthy people?
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