Question:
Why doesn't America have free healthcare?
?
2014-03-03 10:26:24 UTC
It's horrifying and disgusting to think that people out there are so greedy that they refuse to allow people the healthcare they need for free. Every other civilized nation has it, why doesn't America get on the ball?
Nineteen answers:
tribeca_belle
2014-03-03 10:35:08 UTC
I think you mean why don't we have a single-payer system like the UK or Canada where everyone can obtain health care without having to pay money at the point of delivery or be concerned about having health insurance coverage.



To answer your question, I think it is because there is a great deal of misinformation about and prejudice against such a system for Americans to be able to consider it rationally.



Edit: You can tell from some of the answers that we are still quite far away from a rational discussion of the topic.
Gregg
2014-03-03 10:38:54 UTC
Free healthcare is not available anywhere in the world. The public option discussed many years ago was the closest thing to a free healthcare. What was seriously discussed was a healthcare policy modeled after those from some countries - through some form of taxation. What I thought it meant was raising taxes on the superrich and removing some tax loopholes..
It's not magic, it's physics!
2014-03-03 11:26:32 UTC
No other country offers free health care. It's all paid for by somebody.



What you're talking about is *universal* health care, where everyone has access to services.



Yes, the US is the only country that doesn't have universal health care as a matter of policy.



But you're an idiot if you think every other country is single payer, that it's free, or even that it's government takeover. Japan and Germany have some of the most efficient health care systems in the world, and their systems are fully private. What makes their systems universal is that people are mandated by law to carry a minimum level of insurance. Most other countries operate on a 2-tier system where they pay the government for a minimum level of coverage (usually disaster-only) and use a private payer for everything else. Only a few countries have a fully nationalized health service.



Why doesn't America get on the ball?



Because people (like yourself) have conflated "universal" and "single-payer," which makes everyone believe that any fixing of what's wrong must be socialist (a dirty word -- and no, fixing what's wrong here doesn't require any socialism at all) and lobbyists in the health care industry have managed to entrench legislation that allows them to hold monopolies, while saying that any amount of reform must be "socialist."
anonymous
2014-03-03 13:52:36 UTC
I DEFY you to tell us the ONE country that has "free health care", Sparky. It has to paid for by someone. If the recipient is too lazy to get a job and pay for what they need or want, government agencies have been setup to steal from those who do work to pay for the parasites and leeches. What is "horrifying and disgusting" is that anyone still thinks they deserve something for free just by virtue of breathing. What next? "Free" housing? "Free" food? "Free" clothing?



Stubby Phillips, if they're not my children, why would they be my problem if they get sick? I don't dance, I don't pay the band.
Mr. Smartypants
2014-03-03 10:34:40 UTC
Well first of all, nobody thinks it could be free. What the argument is about is how we pay for it.



But you're right. Almost every other developed country has some kind of single payer plan. And not only do they get medical care as good as we do, but they pay about half what we do, plus everyone is covered.



So people who oppose health care reform, they are willing to pay double for their health care just so that 20% of Americans can't get health care! That's what we're basically talking about here.



Those of us who favored health care reform, we saw Obamacare as just a start, a step in the right direction. If Obamacare fails, the problem will still be here, and it will get worse, and eventually we'll be desperate enough to try single payer. In fact I think that might be why the most regressive, reactionary Supreme Court in our history allowed Obamacare to stand--because the alternative was worse!
Philip H
2014-03-03 10:28:40 UTC
So health care is FREE?

Where?

You may not pay directly but you PAY!

The end result of Socialist medicine is those who don't act responsibly and care for themselves and their families get rewarded with free care while the responsible citizens get Punished with paying for problems they didn't create.

Good insurance paid for by the responsible citizen is Voluntary Socialism, not punishment.

Foolish people think the Government Elitist Despots can provide all they want for FREE!
BekindtoAnimals22
2014-03-03 10:32:33 UTC
Nothing is free. Especially health care. I never had any problem seeing a doctor. Now I get letters saying my supplemental health plan is inferior. My doctor isn't even on it. How much do you really want to pay in taxes? You would be standing in line to see a doctor and waiting for months for your surgery unless it was an emergency. Some treatments are not available with universal heath care.
?
2014-03-03 10:30:05 UTC
Because America is based off of greed. A career in the medical industry is a very profitable one. Why would anyone want to throw that away? I agree that we need free universal healthcare, but America is too greedy to do that.
?
2014-03-03 11:23:17 UTC
What are you calling civilized and what are you calling free?
?
2014-03-03 10:28:38 UTC
Because we have far too many people with far too many health problems to be able to support every ones medical needs. There's not enough money in the world.
Francis
2014-03-03 10:28:18 UTC
Because we have a lousy economy with no job prospects for millions.
anonymous
2014-03-03 11:46:37 UTC
many conservatives simply do not care if children die

it's not their problem
?
2014-03-03 10:53:52 UTC
Do you work for free spanky?
?
2014-03-03 10:30:46 UTC
For the same reason we don't have square circles.
?
2014-03-03 10:38:55 UTC
Why do you think you have the right to make doctors public servants?
anonymous
2014-03-03 10:31:19 UTC
What does greed have to do with denying incompetent loser lowlifes free

health care. Can't wait to hear this one.
anonymous
2014-03-03 10:27:30 UTC
i no speaka inglish and i no havea inshurince and i havea free kare at hospitals..i also do their lawn care too!
anonymous
2014-03-03 10:27:46 UTC
Nothing is free, little fella.
anonymous
2014-03-03 10:28:20 UTC
Nobody has free healthcare.



Either you pay for it, or tax payers pay for.



Liberal dictionary:



Free = someone else pays for it


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