So, why don't YOU support universal healthcare?
1. I don't want to pay for other people's healthcare.
I take it you would never buy into an employer-sponsored group health plan. I expect that you pay all expenses for yourself and your family out-of-pocket, since paying your monthly contributions would largely help to finance someone else's healthcare. I assume you insist to your company that the 20 plus percentage of your salary they pay toward healthcare go into your pocket. After all, in a catastrophic situation or in the case of having any health problems yourself, that extra money would more than cover your expenses.
2. I don't want socialized healthcare.
Bad news: if you're living in the US, you're already paying more per capita for socialized healthcare than any other industrialized country and probably not reaping the benefits yourself at the moment. You're also paying toward the overhead (aka administrative costs) of the insurance companies, not to mention the profits of these often "non-profit" companies. It seems to me that reforming the US system would be more cost effective. Also, a truly socialized system would consist of all medical professionals being government employees. A more realistic system in the US would consist of the government contracting with healthcare providers to provide services while making those services available to all Americans. The government already contracts with nonprofits to provide a variety of social services, and I'd like to think we're doing a decent job.
3. I don't want to wait to see a doctor.
And those without health insurance are going to be waiting a much longer time than you to see a doctor if they can't afford it. God forbid you have to wait a couple extra days so that someone who needs a life-saving operation. For that matter, if (for example) the Canadian system is such a nightmare, why do 90% of Canadians prefer their system over the free-market system of the US? (
http://www.wicleanelections.org/SinglePayerMyths.pdf)
4. The system would be overused and abused.
Do you go to the doctor as a recreational activity?
5. The uninsured don't deserve coverage and instead need to pull themselves up by the bootstraps to find a job that provides coverage.
I've spent 6 years in school and have practically no coverage at the moment. I guess I don't deserve healthcare because I haven't tried hard enough to better my life. An increasing number of employers are cutting or eliminating their health benefits because they can't afford to offer them anymore, and the nonprofit sector in particular is being hit hard (unlike for-profit companies, we generally can't increase our fees to offset costs, and the money we save on tax exemptions is not going to cover healthcare costs). Individual plans? Good luck finding them unless you're in perfect health. I looked into individual plans and couldn't find a damn thing under $600-ish a month, and there was not a single plan that would cover anything I need. No mental health coverage and no coverage of pre-existing conditions. So, the cost of paying for both healthcare I do need and healthcare I don't need would equal about $1600 a month, minimum.
6. We're not communists.
Neither are most other industrialized countries. Only they don't have people dying or going into bankruptcy for lack of needed healthcare.
7. You can always get Medicaid.
Make one dollar over the threshold or have any assets worth speaking of, and forget it.
8. Our quality of care will go downhill.
Guess what; the US can't take credit for every single medical breakthrough of the past century. Show me evidence that healthcare in other countries is shit. Also, the currently uninsured having the luxury to make an appointment with a PCP rather than being forced to seek routine medical care from the ER and allowing expanded access to preventative care would greatly save costs, so there would be money left over for research.
9. Healthcare isn't the government's responsibility.
In that case, neither is education (including both public primary and secondary schools and subsidies for higher education). I also assume you won't take advantage of any Medicare benefits when you are old enough to qualify for them.
10. The US public would never support the idea.
Actually, an increasing number of people support universal healthcare, and I foresee that number rising. Also, the public once supported slavery and opposed civil rights. Change is possible.
11. The government would screw up the system.
Because the system's so efficient and functional now. If the government is going to fuck things up, work on improving the government's system.
12. Jesus wouldn't have supported universal healthcare.
Can't argue there, although I wish He would send me the memo.
For the record, I'm not personally fearing for my own life; I'm fortunate (or blessed, as the Calvinists would say) to come from a white, middle-class family that can bail my ass out. Not everyone has that luxury.
Let the flames begin!
eta: Sorry about the length. I can't remember how to do lj-cuts, and I have to get ready for work, so I don't have time to look it up.
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