Health Care Reform: Was Universal Health Care the Answer?

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What is universal health care?

Universal health care is a form of health coverage which is provided by a government so that all of its citizens have access to health services. In the universal health care is a system of providing health coverage for any and all willing participants. This is usually through a government program, funded by taxes. The United States is the only developed country in the world to not have a universal health care system for its citizens. Medicaid and Medicare do not count because they target a select group of citizens. It is important to note the distinction between universal health care and socialized medicine before we proceed. Many people confuse the terms. Under universal health care hospitals, doctors, drug companies, nurses, dentists, etc can all remain independent. They can be for-profit or non-profit. In socialized medicine the whole industry is the government. So if you wanted to be a doctor, you would work for the government.

The debate concerning the implementation of Obama Care or Universal Health Care (UHC) is at the top of the health care issue. Many private and public organizations are weighing in on the issue. Those who support the idea of UHC are passionate about everyone having access to healthcare as a right of being a United States citizen. However, those who are against a government ran health care system is concern with the government’s ability to effectively administer such a big responsibility. Although UHC is law, the country is still spilt on the issue. All the while, 45 Million people are still uninsured waiting for a resolution.

The dominate issue in health care reform is that all American citizens have a right to health care. The United States uses both ...

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List of Countries with Universal Health Care. (March 2010). Graph Illistration from COTO Report, Full Spectrum Defiance. Posted Maarch 22, 2010. Retrieved from http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/list-of-countries-with-universal-healthcare/

Obamacare’s Impact on Doctors. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Lf7k-Q-jo

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2009). FAQ, How many people in the United States have Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance?. Retrieved from http://answers.hhs.gov/questions/3640

Whelan, Patrick, M.D, Ph.D.and O’Shea, John S., M.D., M.P.A., F.A.C.S. (2008). Doctors Debate Universal Health Care: Pros and Cons from the Experts. Retrived from http://www.familydoctormag.com/doctors-office/194-doctors-debate-universal-health-care-pros-and-cons-from-the-experts.html

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