Universal Health Insurance in U.S.
Current U.S. Healthcare System, its Problems, and Proposed Change
Many problems with the current U.S. healthcare system have led some Americans to look into a universal health insurance program as an answer.
Current U.S. Healthcare System
Facing many Americans today, is the problem of having less choice of insurance options but paying more in insurance premiums than ever before. Another pressing problem is the increasing number of uninsured Americans, reaching 45.8 million people in 2004 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). These facts lead many to ask the question, “why does the United States continue to promote an employer-based, private health insurance system, when the majority of Americans would prefer a universal health insurance program?" (ABCNews, 2003). The United States bases its health insurance system on the capitalistic/ free-market approach to business, priding itself in giving its citizens the freedom to choice. In the free-market approach, competition leads to more competitive prices, and innovations in technology, which can lead to better quality of healthcare. Yet, the United States spends the most on healthcare but ranks 37th, among other industrialized countries, when delivering the best health care in the world, (WHO, 2000).
Ideally, in the free-market approach of the healthcare system, Americans, for the most part, are given the ability to choose their healthcare providers, treatment options, and even their insurance carriers. Ironically, in the current system, most employees have no choice in insurance coverage or options. 59.8% of Americans receive health insurance from their employers (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). Most companies choose one health insurance plan for their employees. So, the majority of Americans have no choice in choosing an insurance company. They are not free to shop for the best deal, as the free-market approach outlines.
Many Americans are insisting the U.S. healthcare system needs to change. Some are pushing for the United States to begin a universal health insurance program. Some of the advantages of this system are:
Advantages of Universal Health Insurance
- Every citizen would have the ability to have health insurance, regardless of income.
- There would be increased productivity, as more people can afford to have diseases treated and spend less time being sick.
- As baby boomers retire and move on to Medicare, the system will need more resources to be able to handle the larger quantities of people needing health insurance.
- It would help prevent wastefulness and inefficiencies, as many uninsured citizens now turn to emergency rooms for treatment of non-emergent situations.
- There would be less money spent on administrative costs as the government would run the program.
- The increase in costs to cover every citizen would be balanced with its advantages.
Other useful links for universal health insurance in the United States include:
Universal Health Care Action Network
American Medical Student Association
