Why not universal health coverage?

[friskyguy]

Please don't take this as a criticism of the US health system but I am just trying to understand why the majority of the US population in not in favour and/or demanding of affordable national health coverage?

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, Germany, the Scandanavian countries, Taiwan, Japan and many other rich developed nations to name just a few seem to be able to provide their population with excellent health care relatively well....not perfect by any means but truely a relatively affordable and sufficient level of health care coverage that is treasured by their respective populations.

A recent US poll came out saying that the US population is divided about recent attempts (Obamacare) to reform the US health care system to provide limited health coverage to the uninsured. I remember that Hilary Clinton also failed in her attempts to implement health care reform under Bill's reign.

It is common knowledge that the US spends the most money per person in the world on health care yet a great many of important health outcomes are ranked so poorly relative to those in a great number of developed and even compared to poorer developing countries.

I understand that people with no insurance can lose their life savings and even go bankrupt if struck down with a serious illness. I get sick to the stomach at hearing about stories of how expensive it is in the US to get by with an ongoing chronic illness. If it is not the patient who pays than it is the insurance company or other state scheme....but we all know nothing comes for free....check out those insurance premiums!!

There is an exploding number of US retirees who bus it to Mexico or Canada to get cheaper prescription drugs.

I can't get my head around why is there not a ground level movement by the US populace to demand universal health care and consider it as a given right and responsibility of their representative government to provide? I mean the US is the richest country in the world? right?

There is something not right here.

Is socialist medicine, which is often portrayed by the Republican party in the past (present??) as a communist conspiracy plot, really believed by the general US population?

It was heartening to see at the opening ceremony in London the pride the UK has in its health care and wanted to tell the world. Good on them!!!!

Many of my informed international friends, those with and without health issues just shake their heads at the US health care system and thank their lucky stars that they don't live there.

Please this is not a criticism, I just dont understand why a people revolution is not in the making!!??

Maybe our US friends would care to comment?

[mecch]

Is socialist medicine, which is often portrayed by the Republican party in the past (present??) as a communist conspiracy plot, really believed by the general US population?

Yes people fear that universal health converage will mean their own coverage will get far worse - that not as much will be covered.

And that the care itself will decline in quality.  Hospitals decline.  Doctors turned into miserable socialist workers getting teacher like salaries.   And that it will be rationed. 

That there will be very long waits for care and that the government health administers, in the main offices, who will be rather like stereotypical bitter dulll and uninterested paper stamper types at the DMV, will make decisions about life and death for sonny-boy or grand ma.

Also, the idea that if you can't pay insurance, its because you are a lay about, a freeloader, so why should the government give you a handout?  The poor have moral failings, and are quite suspect. Not true Americans.  Not what the founding fathers built this country for.   

[buginme2]

Its a very complicated question.  I hope you are not expecting a simple answer. 

[red_Dragon888]

It sometimes feels like America, that is the USA, is no longer "the land of the free and the home of the brave", but the land of the powerful rich 1% whose only goal is to stay rich and get richer and control the thinking of the population; that is brain washing everyone through every avenue that works.  When the bow breaks, which I hope is soon, then the people will take to the streets and demand that health care for all is the right choice.  But there are people in government trying to get the health care issue the same as the other nations.  The progress is slow for unjustified fear is strong and the powerful have the nation split on the issue. 

The one think that the powerful do not want the population to realize they the people are the power of the nation and without the people the rich and powerful would be eating dirt.

ps  if free health care is good enough for the senate, the congress, and the President, then it is good enough for all.

V for Victory