Should Healthcare Be Government’s Responsibility?

Should Healthcare be Government’s Responsibility?

For quite a long time, there has been the debate in the United States as to whether the government should be responsible for healthcare. There are those who believe that it is the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare for its citizens while there are those who also believe that the government should not be responsible.

What it means

Universal healthcare is a specific type of healthcare where everyone is provided with health coverage irrespective of their income, age, gender, wealth or pre-existing conditions. This means that all the citizens will be eligible for cover.

Provision of Universal Healthcare

There are different ways in which the universal healthcare can be provided. Some of the ways include:

  • A single-payer system: a single payer provides universal healthcare by collecting healthcare fees and healthcare payouts from a single organization, most likely the government. This method must be enforced effectively to avoid a replicate of Canadian healthcare issues here in America.
  • The private sector can also be used to subsidize healthcare coverage.
  • Issuing mandate that requires all citizens to have some form of healthcare coverage.

Given the fact that healthcare is a basic human right, the United States government enacted an Act of Law that could see millions of Americans get healthcare cover.

The Obamacare

In 2010, the Obama Administration introduced the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as the Obamacare. This has been at the center of the debate since its inception. The step by the United States of America to provide universal healthcare has received applaud and criticism in equal measure.

There are people who support universal healthcare and a similar number or more who do not support it. In reflection to the Obamacare, the pros and cons of universal healthcare will be highlighted to help in determining whether it should be the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare or not.

Pros and Cons of ObamaCare

Pros of ObamaCare:

  • More Citizens have access to health insurance

One of the benefits of universal healthcare is that it will see most of its citizens get access to health insurance. Generally, this will witness an improved health population resulting to decrease in illness in the general population.

  • People with pre-existing conditions can get coverage

Another benefit of the universal healthcare is that it will help people with pre-existing conditions such as cancer to get access to health insurance. It is known that most insurance companies wouldn’t cover people with such illness.

  • Lower prescription drugs

When it becomes the government’s responsibility to provide healthcare, the prescription drugs will be more affordable. The United States government promised to lower the cost of prescription drugs after passing the Affordable Care Act.

  • No limits on care

With the Obamacare, even people with chronic health problems will not be limited to the amount of money they can spend on their treatment.

That is the good side when healthcare becomes the government’s responsibility.

The Cons of Obamacare

While it is easy to only imagine of how good it is for the government to provide healthcare to its citizens, there are also some drawbacks related to this. Here below are some of the cons of Obamacare that will help us to know the disadvantages of the government being responsible for its citizens’ healthcare.

  • Many people pay higher premiums

Insurance companies have passed the risks of insuring people with pre-existing conditions to all consumers. Everyone now has to pay higher premiums. It is therefore a disadvantage to a large number of citizens.

  • Taxes are going up

When the government offers to provide healthcare, it only means that the citizens are paying for it. The only way to do that is to increase taxation. The government is doing this to cut down financial deficit. The normal citizens will bear the cost of this universal healthcare.

  • Business are cutting employee Hours

People are losing jobs as a result of the Obamacare. This is because many companies are cutting employee hours just to avoid covering the employees.

  • You can be fined for not having insurance

Unlike the way it was in the past where health insurance was an option, the universal healthcare makes it mandatory for every citizen to have insurance. You can be easily fined for not having insurance.

  • Lazy people benefit

One of the major disadvantages of the Obamacare is that it promotes laziness. The rich work extremely hard just to pay for other people’s healthcare. It kills the spirit of capitalism.

Therefore, the question unto whether the government should be responsible for healthcare can be argued either way depending on the specific elements. Otherwise, citizens should also play a major role in the provision healthcare to promote capitalism.

See Also Universal Health Care in Different Countries:


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *