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Access to reliable healthcare should be a fundamental right for American citizens. Many careers that together form the backbone of our communities receive low wages with little to no benefits, leaving “79 million Americans [with] medical bill or debt problems” (“Survey: 79 Million Americans Have Problems with Medical Bills or Debt”). When citizens obtain the care they deserve, a populace’s physical and mental health drastically improves, allowing the effects to cascade to other aspects of our society.
The central purpose of a government is to look after and care for its people; providing accessible care fits this fundamental responsibility. Universalized healthcare successfully exists in thirty-two countries to date, and can save Americans money while improving populace health and stability.
The single-payer system has the lowest administrative costs, equitably covering all citizens under reliable and satisfactory care, and “the U.S. government could afford to pay for [it]” (“Can the U.S. Government Afford a Single-Payer Health System?”). The benefits of this system compile over time, allowing the United States to save billions through its employment. A study conducted in California found that “implementing universal coverage through a single-payer system is projected to reduce health spending in [California] by $37.5 billion annually” (“California Universal Health Care: An Economic Stimulus and Life-saving Proposal”).
Other national predictions expect that “expanding health insurance coverage to the uninsured [will] increase net economic well-being by roughly $100 billion a year, increas[ing] labor supply, [and] remov[ing] unnecessary barriers to job mobility” (“The Economic Case for Health Care Reform”). Universal healthcare is criticized for increasing taxation and holding the possibility of flooding offices with new patients. The former of these claims is valid, as unfortunately, taxes are expected to rise, with an increase of “2.3% excise tax on businesses after their first $2 million in income, a 1.25% payroll tax on employers with 50-plus workers [and] an additional 1% payroll tax on wages for resident employees earning more than $49,900”. These numbers are reasonable predictions of the minuscule effect this system would have on increasing taxes for only those making over $49.900, with the trade-off of not paying for unaffordable medical insurance or becoming in debt after an accident.
The medical field will only continue to expand, creating millions more jobs for Americans. The availability of this care will decrease the amount of costly and time-consuming procedures that utilize more resources and care as minute issues will have been dealt with, as opposed to delaying the problem because of the inability to pay.
Since the American government “can successfully provide universal health care for 36% to almost 50% of the population” through Medicare/Medicaid, we should be able to extend this right to those who cannot enroll in these programs or find inadequate care within them (“Should the U.S. Government Provide Universal Health Care?”). The overall benefits of universal healthcare are extensive, from the accessibility of simple medical procedures to supporting children’s education. We must invest in our country now to ensure a prosperous future for generations ahead.
