I’m just watching Erin Brockovich again, and I’m really really angry. Why the heck can’t the US get it’s act together and provide universal health care? I know so many of my friends and family (myself included since I have had no health care of any type for more than 5 years, aside from a 5 month period where I had access to supplemental care such as dental) either suffer through more than they need to or suffer horribly high medical bills. It’s just plain stupid! The only arguments I’ve heard against it are that:
1. It would raise taxes: boo hoo.. you’ll end up paying less (way way less) in the long run, unless you’re a magic fairy who never gets sick their entire life.
2. It would discourage new doctors or make doctors move to other countries: I don’t think so, unless I’m mistaken (which I very well could be).. there aren’t many non-universal health care countries left that those doctors would be as comfortable living in.. That’s really just my opinion though.
3. The HMO’s, Insurance Companies, Hospital Owners and other such business peoples would lose money and jobs, they would never let it happen: Yes it would be painful from a business side for awhile until things sorted themselves out, but at least all of those people wouldn’t have to worry about health care costs right?
How could it be bad?
There is a problem with doctors leaving for the US up here, but that’s only because the US exists in the system it does. Universal healthcare in the US would stem that tide, since doctors would be less likely to jump countries. So, if the US switched, it’s a safe bet that US doctors would stay put, because (as you said), there wouldn’t be anywhere to go anymore.
I think the real problem is that unless you’re gonna privatize hospitals, this would be difficult to do, and the US doesn’t have the same history that Canada/The UK does of gobbling up public corporations for the greater good (the UK did it for their rail system, Canada for hospitals, and both at one point took over the public national airlines).
There’s a real push for “small government” in the US, and universal healthcare is the antithesis of that.