Introduction
As the global population continues to increase, the demand for healthcare services has risen exponentially. With this growth comes an answer for many other problems people have to deal with. One such issue is the rising cost of living in countries where their healthcare system is not as accessible and affordable as many are used to. For example, United States healthcare includes a monthly premium ranging from $0 to $500. With increases in cost and a rise in the level of medical services and care, people are forced to make difficult choices between the importance of their health and other necessities. The current American healthcare system is costly, requiring excessive amounts of money and burdensome regulations. In this system, the government regulates prices and also tries to offer free healthcare to all people. Therefore, free healthcare is necessary to enhance the healthcare system in various healthcare premises.
Free healthcare is more beneficial to the poor and vulnerable members of society. The poor and the people at a disadvantage are the ones who cannot afford expensive bills related to healthcare services, and therefore, due to this, they rely on government-funded programs. The current American healthcare system disregards the poor and creates significant income and healthcare inequality gaps, for instance (Vannoy et al., 2010). This has a negative impact on America’s democracy as it weakens the power of its voting groups. When the poor are sick and cannot afford healthcare, they tend to balance their finances by cutting back on necessities like food and clothing. Therefore, an improvement in the healthcare system is required through the introduction of free public healthcare for all people. This minimizes inequality and ensures that everybody has equal access to healthcare facilities.
Free public healthcare is a better solution than others as it delivers more benefits than services offered by private organizations in terms of cost savings and quality of care. It allows all people to access medical care as it is free and not farmed out to private organizations (Powell-Jackson et al., 2014). Therefore, the private sector will not easily compete with the public sector. A study comparing the cost of private and public healthcare in America showed that the average private health insurance is 20% more expensive than the government’s healthcare plan. With this large amount spent, several people still need help to afford this bill as they either work for low-income jobs or are unemployed. Therefore, introducing free public healthcare is the best solution to ensure everyone can afford healthcare.
The idea of providing free healthcare to people is a great solution. However, this solution has disadvantages that its proponents need to consider. For example, it may increase the number of people seeking medical attention, and doctors may be overwhelmed with clients (O’Donnell, 2007). Access to healthcare for all people can reduce the cost of treatment for diseases and other ailments and improve the health level. However, it is essential to note that free healthcare does not guarantee treatment for all people. Even countries with free healthcare systems, like France and Sweden, still have waiting lists that create a scenario where people become sicker before receiving medical attention. This means that the current level of medical care will worsen. In addition, other issues like the cost of living should be considered as some may need help to afford their bills even if the medical services are free. Therefore, free healthcare will not solve the current issues in the healthcare system.
Conclusion
In conclusion, introducing free public healthcare for all people solves the poor accessibility of medical services and the high cost of treatment. It reduces the chances of people dying from preventable diseases or other ailments due to lower costs. The prevalence of this service will reduce the mortality rate and improve the lives and health status of people in America and other parts of the world. Therefore, free healthcare is a beneficial move to the healthcare system in the United States as it will help improve the quality of life and increase productivity. This move will reduce inequalities of income and access to healthcare and improve all people’s health. It does this by providing enhanced access to medical services for all people and not forcing them to depend on private organizations or risk getting sick before receiving treatment. It also reduces the cost of healthcare, which may be too much for some people to afford. In addition, free public healthcare will provide equal healthcare facilities to all members of society regardless of their income and employment status. Therefore, it must be argued that free public healthcare is a solution that the government should embrace.
References
O’Donnell, O. (2007). Access to health care in developing countries: breaking down demand side barriers. Cadernos de saude publica, 23, 2820-2834.
Powell-Jackson, T., Hanson, K., Whitty, C. J., & Ansah, E. K. (2014). Who benefits from free healthcare? Evidence from a randomized experiment in Ghana. Journal of Development Economics, 107, 305-319.
Vannoy, S. D., Arean, P., & Unützer, J. (2010). Advantages of using estimated depression-free days for evaluating treatment efficacy. Psychiatric Services, 61(2), 160-163.
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