Universal health care is a wonderful concept. Why don’t all Americans have the basic right to free health care? Aren’t we the richest nation in the world? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; shouldn’t free health care be part of this statement? With all its pros, universal health care does have its cons too. As the spouse of a US Army retired service member, I have the luxury of free health care. But, don’t mistake free for the literal meaning. He sacrificed fifteen years to obtain this right. The old adage, “Nothing is for fee” applies to all. To provide all Americans with universal health care, we will have to give up something.
And, that something is; more money in the form of taxation. It’s not quite that simple though, there are even bigger hurtles to clear if we ever want to see our citizens provided with free medical care. The two biggest are insurance companies and private practices. The insurance industry alone is a multi-billion dollar business. Private practices, although not as wealthy as the insurance companies, still have a large voice in the political world. Let’s face reality; no one likes the sounds of higher taxes. Are we able and willing to give up more of our hard-earned money? Most citizens will tell you no.
This alone will stop universal health care from seeing the light of day. We, as individuals, never think about the importance of health care when we’re healthy. We only harp on how the cruel and insensitive insurance companies should be outlawed when we’re sick and in need. I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago. I had the pleasure of first class treatment in an Army hospital. At the end of my journey, my out-of-pocket expenses reached a whopping $14. 80. That’s right, a whole fourteen dollars and eighty cents. I underwent two major surgeries, six months of Chemotherapy and thirty three Radiation treatments.
That was excluding all of my medication and doctors appointments. I never, not once, had to worry about how I was going to afford all this wonderful care. My spirits were high and I was able to fight my cancer. Everyone should be given that right as a human being. While I sat in my chair, undergoing one of my Chemo treatments, I had the opportunity to talk with two other patients. Each of them was battling their cancers for a second and third time. Upon observation, I learned that each of them had to work while fighting their battles the first time around.
They dealt with various doctors and insurance companies and fought for the care they were given. This makes one wonder; if you have to fight for you medical care, does it do further harm? I, for one, think this is a true statement. Stress alone can cause a multitude of illnesses. Each and ever American citizen should be as fortunate as I was with my medical care. When will our society get it right? This is a question that no one seems to be able to answer. On one side of the scale, citizens complain about the care they’re given. And, on the other side, universal health care has its downfalls.
Will the quality of our care be compromised and how timely will the care be? These, as other have stressed, will be some of the downsides to universal health care. But, as with everything, nothing is ever perfect. Will we continue to struggle with millions of Americans being uninsured, or will we bit the bullet and try something different? Of all issues facing universal health care, I, personally, think its well worth the risk. I wish each and every person could receive the great care I was administered. Life is our most precious asset. Without life, we have nothing.