The Truth about Universal Health Care
GABE MURPHY
Opinion Writer
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Opinion
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Universal health care is bad and un-American.
How many students on campus appreciate the fact they're required to enroll with the Student Health Insurance Plan unless they have alternate coverage? Let's consider a hypothetical situation. Imagine the university forcing us to enroll in SHIP regardless of whether or not we already have coverage. In the process of forcing every student to enroll in SHIP, it became free, causing the cost of tuition to jump 30 percent.
Take that one step farther and mandate all students must seek medical treatment at the Health and Wellness Center. Nearly 20,000 students seek treatment at the small building on the corner of University Avenue and Joyce Street. This is a universal health care system.
As a free-market capitalist, I understand the need for health care, and I understand the frustration some Americans have with our current health care system. The problem with universal health care is not the care itself, but the people who receive care without paying for it. Some people argue health insurance is too expensive and inhibits Americans from obtaining proper coverage. I argue those freeloaders need to develop strong priorities to start insuring themselves.
According to a study found on the Depository Services Program Website, America looks to Canada to model its health care system based on a number of fiscal statistics. For example, Canada's current healthcare percentage gross national product is nine percent - that is much lower than the United States' 15 percent. Also the infant mortality rate in Canada is 7.9 per 1,000 births, compated to the United States' 10.5 per 1,000. When looking at these statistics, Canada seems to have health care under control, but this can be misleading.
While Canada's health care system appears to run more fiscally efficient, other factors must be taken into account. Rationing is prominent in socialized medicine. Rationing is what will occur if every student has to receive treatment at the Health and Wellness Center. Long lines, waiting lists and understaffed hospitals are outcomes we can expect under a universal health care system.
There have been court cases that addressed the issue of rationing and waiting lists that exist in the countries with socialized medicine. In Chaoulli v. Québec, the Canadian Supreme Court found that the Health Insurance Act and Hospital Insurance Act, which outlaws privatized health insurance, violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the Canadian Bill of Rights in their constitution.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 5
Karen L. Carleton
Karen L. Carleton
posted 4/01/08 @ 10:51 PM MST
Universal healthcare is about equal treatment and dignity for all. Canada is not a communist country forcing low quality healthcare upon its citizens. (Continued…)
Global MD
posted 4/02/08 @ 7:05 PM MST
Global MD is a full service medical travel facilitator. Global MD's elite network of international hospitals and surgeons provide tailored medical treatment and solutions to Americans seeking quality healthcare at affordable prices. (Continued…)
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