Universal Health Care

Access, efficiency, quality, and sustainability have been the issues put into question in the on going battle of the health care reform over the years. Today President Obama is working on providing coverage for uninsured American's. His solution: universal health care. “Universal health care is a health care coverage for all eligible residents of a political region and often covers medical, dental, and mental health care.” (“Universal Health Care” 1). This may be beneficial for the lower income families, but for the greater majority of insured American's 'Obamacare' comes up short.

The health care reform bill requires just about every American and businesses to have or provide health insurance with certain benefits or pay a fine. The bill wants to provide a form of Medicare for all. Medicare is a government run health insurance program for Americans over the age of 65, or under with certain disabilities, and patients with kidney failure. Medicare is funded mostly by general revenues and taxes while the remainders of the costs are funded through, premiums, and deductibles. Medicare for all will pose as American's alternative to private insurance, allowing businesses who already provide their employee's insurance to convert to 'public' insurance at a lower cost. There is no competition employer's will choose the cheaper choice. Estimates show 118 million would loose their private insurance. However, with this plan private insurance will most likely become a memory in the world of health care.

The Accessibility of the care also may not be the best. Though America has advanced medicine, universal health care will make it difficult to reach. Government controlled health care can lead to a decrease in patient flexibility. When the health care is free people with something as minor as a cold that without universal health care they wouldn't spend their money at the doctor's for, will go for a prescribed drug.