Universal health care is an idealogical system with many flaws.
Universal health care is a popular buzzword on the political scene as a result of the health care legislation that was passed in America during the summer of 2010. While the proponents of universal health care tout the system as a means of expanding health care coverage, decreasing health care costs and being budget-friendly, an in-depth investigation of universal health care around the world reveals some drawbacks to the universal health care plan.
Rationing of Health Care
Proponents of universal health care claim that the system expands free and discounted health care to more people. This claim, when vetted against the universal health care systems of the world, is naive at best. For example, the "Wall Street Journal" reported in July 2009 that the British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decided to not pay for two vital medications in the fight against kidney disease. Britain's health care system has been praised by proponents of universal health care, yet in some instances, the system rations care rather than expanding it to more people.
Exploding Health Care Costs
Proponents of universal health care often point to the Canadian health care system as a model of cost containment. However, the reality of the situation reveals that Quebec is taxing health care visits, as of 2010, and may actually begin to charge a small fee for going to the doctor. Costs related to their health care system are expected to consume up to 70 percent of the Canadian budget in 2022, with that number projected to increase to 80 percent by 2030, according to an article published on DigitalJournal.com.
Budget-Busting Costs
Universal health care requires an exorbitant amount of money to fund and operate such a program. Most countries, including Canada, must carry high budget deficits to finance their version of universal health care. As a means of paying for the interest that is resultant of these deficits, Canada has a high income tax rate, as of 2010, and is contemplating instituting other revenue-increasing taxes and fees in the near future, according to DigitalJournal.com.
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