Week 7 Discussion Post 11 Document

I believe there are two main reasons for push back to universal healthcare, people want to be

able to choose their providers, and lobbying for private insurance paid for by private

insurance. The current American healthcare system is more business than anything and it

creates a lot of wealth for many private companies (Frieden 2015). Americans believe that

private health insurance provides better care than the public sector and there is some truth to

that but what people do not understand is that the continuous increase in premiums and high

deductible plans is why wages and salary growths have been low. There is also the issue with

an abundance of misinformation and confusion, as well as the idea that American's tend to be

very to each their own (Frieden 2015). American's also fear and revolt against government

understand that universal healthcare would be beneficial to them because then they would no

longer need to provide and pay for health benefits (Frieden 2015). This could be the tipping

into compulsory health coverage that the industry needs.

I think the other biggest hurdle is the army of lobbyists of combined top health industry

organizations (Cancryn 2019). Composed of insurance companies, hospitals, life science

companies, pharmacies, and doctors these groups work together in an attempt to make sure

universal healthcare doesn't happen. They are working together spending multiple millions to

work against this change in healthcare and reorder one-sixth of the nation's economy. In 2018

alone roughly $568 million was spent on this lobbying and this number continues to grow

hindering and halting big changes to the current health care system. These groups also

recruited other big names in the healthcare industry with the understanding that these groups

would lose billions with a universal healthcare that would pay private healthcare lower rates,

mean fewer customers, and possibly put them out of business.

Why is the US resistant to universal healthcare? As a culture, many Americans are

individualistic and prefer the ability to make their own choices. Government involvement and

interest groups do not support universal healthcare. Any attempt at comprehensive national

health insurance ever be made, lobbyists would certainly mobilize to prevent its

implementation. (Callaghan, 2016)

Many dislikes universal healthcare due to the inconvenience of the healthcare model. There

are long wait times to see providers, higher taxes, changes to the infrastructure, and

technological advancement of services. Implementing universal health coverage can affect

the quality of care that is being provided along with delays in health prognosis. Government

agencies increasing taxes for healthcare coverage and not receiving care at the appropriate

care, regardless of income, employment, health condition, or other requirements” (Mintlife,

2021). There are some pros and cons when it comes to universal health care. Some of the pros

include reducing health care costs for both the resident and the healthcare providers,

providing the same level of care, and promoting healthier living (Mint, 2021). The cons of

having universal health care insurance are having a longer wait time for health care services,

the government would be more involved, and it would take up a large amount of the

government’s annual budget.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, and Anthem Inc. Some of the government fund programs

are Medicaid, Medicare, and Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The U.S. argues

that implementing a universal health care system, would not be as feasible, organized, or

financially stable as it is in other countries (Zieff, 2020). The U.S. government believes that

technological infrastructure of the current health care system would have to change. I believe

that many Americans oppose the universal health care system because they do not want to pay

the higher tax required and they do not want the government having a say in their health

insurance options.

Medicaid and Medicare cover the indigent as well as the elderly. On the other hand, CHIP

covers the children. However, there is a pushback to universal health coverage in the United

States. The main goal of universal health coverage is to ensure that all people have access to

essential healthcare services without any kind of undue financial struggle or hardship

(Pearson et al., 2016). It can provide a number of health, political, as well as economic

benefits to the people. It will enable the poor people to gain access to improved quality health

care services.

There are a number of reasons for the pushback to universal health coverage in the United

Apart from the increased federal and individual costs, the argument against universal health

coverage in the United States is the potential inefficiency of the system. It includes hampering

medical innovation and entrepreneurship and long waiting times for the patients (Zieff et al.,

2020). Increased waiting times of patients in the United States will significantly increase the

number of emergency as well as primary care visits. It may even lead to disorganization in the

healthcare setting.

Another prominent reason for the pushback is that the interest groups present in the United

States are not interested in the introduction of universal health coverage. Universal health care

has been on the national political plan for about a hundred years. However, it has failed in

being acted upon as the special interest groups were blocking the reform by means of

Another potential reason for the pushback to universal health coverage in the United States is

effectively enacted. The political structure of the United States is inclined towards inactivity.

Any broad reform in the nation will have to pass through a complex process of budget

evaluations, congressional boards, and possible vetoes, thereby making the enactment

difficult (Mitra, 2018).

References

Mintlife. (2021, November 19th). "What is Universal Health Care?" Retrieved from

https://mint.intuit.com/blog/trends/what-is-universal-health-

care/#:~:text=Universal%20health%20care%20is%20a,health%20condition%2C%20or%20o

ther%20requirements.

Zieff, G & Kerr, Z. (2020, November). "Universal Healthcare in the United States of

America: A Healthy Debate." Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7692272/

Callaghan, T. (2016) Three reasons the US doesn't have universal health coverage Website:

https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-the-us-doesnt-have-universal-health-coverage-

Vladeck, B, (2003) Universal Health Insurance in the United States: Reflections on the Past,

the Present, and the Future Website:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447684/