Universal Healthcare for America

By Catherine McKellerEnglish 102, Section 5232

Why the US needs universal coverage

Millions of Americans are without adequate healthcare.

The cost of healthcare in the US is too expensive.

The current system is inefficient.

The economy & society are worse off without everybody having healthcare.

How are Americans covered now?

61% private insurance

23.5% Government funded insurance

15.5% NO health insurance!!

(Clemmitt, 2007)

Private

Govt.

None

How does US spending compare?

$5,635 per person (15% GDP) 44% from Govt.

Other nations: $2,307 per person (8.6% GDP) 72% from Govt.

(Chua, 2006)$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

Per person

U.S.

Others

How does US quality of healthcare compare?

More infant deaths Shorter life expectancy Fewer doctors, nurses,

& hospital beds per person (Chua, 2006)

Ranked 37th in overall quality by the World Health Organization (Clemmitt, 2006)

Private insurance is too expensive for:

Employees Patients Employers Healthcare

Providers

High costs to employees

High deductibles, premiums, and out-of-pocket payments

Less coverage Increased

insurance denials Fewer/smaller

raises

High cost to patients

Less preventative care due to cost

Worsens illness Worse illness increases

cost treatment Few can afford

expensive treatment 2005: 46.2% of those

bankrupt due to medical reasons (Chua, 2006)

High costs to employers causes:

Reduced employee benefits

Lower wages & fewer raises

Less productivity Smaller profits Competitive

disadvantage globally

High costs to providers

Excess paperwork More personnel

required Higher

administrative costs

Less time with patients

Insurance companies are inefficient

High overhead Increase price to

customers Less coverage Minimal pay to

providers Maximize profit

Uninsured costly to society

Cost $125 billion a year

Pay for only 26% of services received

(Clemmitt, 2006) Providers must write

off services not paid for

Costly to providers & increases prices for those who can pay

Uninsured costly to society (cont.)

Ill and disabled unable to work and contribute

Heavier load on government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid

Universal healthcare saves money

Heavier stress on preventative care will keep people healthy and avoid expensive treatment!

Universal healthcare saves money

Extremely low administrative costs!

Less money needed to provide care!

How much can be saved?

Harvard Study: $286 BILLION every year! (Himmelstein & Woolhandler, 2006)

Dr. Kenneth Thorpe (economist) study: $1.1 TRILLION in ten years! (Chua, 2006)

Universal healthcare is morally right

Everybody has the right to be healthy!

Everybody needs access to quality healthcare!

A healthy community is a happy community!

United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (article 25):

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and his family, including… medical care” (Mueller, 2006)

Sources:

Angell, M. Government-funded single-payer health care would benefit America. Health. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing viewpoints resource center. Thomson Gale. Glendale Community College. 4 July 2007

Chua, K. (2006, February 10). The case for universal health care. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://www.amsa.org/uhc/CaseForUHC.pdf

Chua, K. (2006, February 10). Overview of the U.S. health care system. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://www.amsa.org/uhc/HealthCareSystemOverview.pdf

Clemmitt, M. (2006, April 7). Rising health costs. CQ Researcher, vol. 16. Retrieved July 02, 2007, from CQ Researcher Online. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2007040700.

Clemmitt, M. (2007, March 30). Universal coverage. CQ Researcher, vol. 17. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2007033000.

Harris, N. (Ed.). (2006). Does the United States need a national health insurance policy?. At Issue Series. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Thomson Gale.

Sources Continued:

Himmelstein, D. and Woolhandler, S. National health insurance could save billions of dollars. Does the United Stated need a national health insurance policy?. Ed. Nancy Harris. At Issue Series. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Thomson Gale.

Mueller, R. America should model its health care system after those of other developed nations. Does the United States need a national health insurance policy?. Ed. Nancy Harris. At Issue Series. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Thomson Gale.

Sullivan, K. A national health insurance policy would be superior to market-based plans. Does the United States need a national health insurance policy?. Ed. Nancy Harris. At Issue Series. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Thomson Gale.

Wikipedia home page. (June 2007). Publicly-funded healthcare. Retrieved June 16, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publicly_funded_health_care