Socialized Healthcare: United States vs. Canada - Essay Example

Socialized Healthcare: United s vs. Canada I. Introduction A. Our panel is discussing whether or not the United s should adopt socialized healthcare such as they have in Canada. B We have taken a stand against socializing healthcare in the US. C. We have planned a set of seven central questions to be discussed by the panel. II. Question: Why are we for socialized healthcare A. The critics of free market healthcare will point out the disparities in treatment between the rich and the poor. 1. However, socialized healthcare would reduce the level of treatment for everyone. 2. Both rich and poor would have substandard treatment with socialized healthcare. B. Critics believe that the 40 million uninsured would suddenly have access to healthcare. 1. The 40 million number of uninsured is a myth and they would have less access under socialized care (Goodman). C. Critics believe that everyone has an inalienable right to the same level of healthcare. 1. Healthcare is a service and under our capitalist system, goods and services are not distributed evenly. a. Competition has developed the US system, which has created the best healthcare system in the world. III. Question: Why are we against socialized healthcare A. We have stronger and more conservative, anti-government politics. 1. Capitalism believes in a free market for all goods and services. a. Services include healthcare that needs to be subjected to competition in the marketplace. b. Capitalism naturally opposes government intervention in the marketplace. 2. Our constitutional form of government believes in individual freedom and the right to make our own choices. a. The public believes consumers should be free to choose their own health care plan, provider, and doctor. b. Quebec and other provinces have outlawed private insurance and eliminated any choice of product. B. Other socialized systems around the world have failed. 1. England and Canada are both struggling with an inferior socialized healthcare system. a. In England soaring taxes go toward waste, corruption, and mismanagement in the healthcare system, not patient care (Wheatcroft). 2. Sweden is mired in inefficiency and high taxes. C, The cost of socialized healthcare would be too high in the US. 1. It is estimated that it would cost a family of four more than $5,000 per year in taxes to cover the cost (Lemeiux). D. The quality of healthcare declines in a socialized system. 1. There are recent reports in Canada where people have had to wait for a year for needed surgery (Williams). 2.Time from referral from a general practitioner to treatment is 17.9 weeks in Canada (Williams). 3. The waiting time for an MRI is as long as 33 weeks (Williams). E. The concept of free healthcare drains the system by over-consumption. 1. People have the perception that services are free and clog the system with unnecessary treatments (Bernstein). a. The end result is overworked doctors that offer a minimum amount of care and time. b. Ontario has recently conceded that it needs an additional 1,000 doctors (Tired of Socialized Medicine). F. There are only a small percentage of people in the US that are not covered by private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or state programs. 1. 33% of the uninsured are eligible for a government program but haven't bothered to apply (Goodman). 2. The remainder receive free care at state charity expense or written off as a loss (Goodman). a. These write offs and reimbursements are already at the taxpayer and consumer expense. b. A socialized program would only complicate the problem. IV. Would the Canadian healthcare system work in the United States A. The Canadian healthcare system would not work in the US because it does not work as well as the current US system. 1. A socialized system does not make any allowances for diversity. a. The US is highly diverse and the broad-based approach would not be acceptable to the US population. 2. Socialism reduces the drive to innovate new techniques and new products. a. A socialist system would have fewer healthcare innovations available. (Reed) B. The Canadian model would not be affordable. 1. The Canadian system was initiated before the recent escalation in healthcare costs and is now suffering the consequences. a. These rising costs of healthcare would make it prohibitive. b. 29% of Quebec's budget is spent on healthcare (Lemieux). c. Free market economics delivers the best healthcare possible for the least money. C. US citizens have come to expect high quality healthcare and will not settle for the Canadian system. 1. The elderly are far more dissatisfied with the Canadian system than the US system (Goodman). a. The elderly experience long waits for specialists, treatment, and suffer from inadequate services in Canada (Goodman). 2. People that pay high taxes will not agree to subsidize the class that does not pay any tax. V. Question: How would socialized healthcare affect the economy of a capitalized society A. The cost of socialized healthcare would add an estimated $2 Trillion dollars to the US federal budget (Lemieux). 1. At the current levels this would increase our deficit by 1000%. (Baker) 2. The increase in deficit would be equal to almost 16% of the US gross domestic product (GDP). (Baker) a. If 16% of the GDP were removed, it would result in a major economic recession. 3. The health care industry would see massive economic restructuring and loss of normal revenue streams. a. Moving the healthcare system out of private control and into the hands of the government could cripple the investment community. B. Socialized healthcare would dampen investor enthusiasm for capitalism. 1. If healthcare can be nationalized, then any industry, such as energy, could become the next victim of socialism. C. The long-term tax drain on society would divert money from durable goods and result in massive layoffs from which there would be no hope of recovery. VI. Question: Would it be positive or have negative side effects A. All of the effects from socialized healthcare would be negative. 1. The US system is superior to any socialized system in the world. 2. Our capitalist approach offers the wealthy as much as they can afford, and provides the poor with what they need. B. It would be more costly, more wasteful, and provide lower quality care. 1. The negative effect on the economy would be disastrous. 2. It would become the victim of waste, fraud, and corruption VII. Question: Is it fair to decrease healthcare on people who have already been paying for it A. It would be unfair to deny people healthcare that were able to afford it. 1. Failure to allow competition and free choice of services is against the principles that the country is based on. 2. It is unjust to offer a system and facilities that others have paid for over a lifetime of contributions. B. People should not suffer simply because the socialists view is that it is unfair that some can afford improved benefits while others can't. VIII. How does the issue affect the 40 million people who do not have healthcare A. Socializing medicine would not help the 40 million people who are currently uninsured. 1. As many as one-third of this number currently qualifies for free healthcare service under other government programs (Goodman). 2. The other two-thirds are eligible for non-profit or charity care. 3. Under a socialized system they would be subjected to the same low quality care that everyone receives in Canada. B. Political leaders have offered plans to cover the millions of working poor that do not have insurance. 1. These plans work through private insurance and do not socialize the system. 2. Socializing the system to cover these people is like scrapping your new BMW because it has a flat tire. Works Cited Baker, Samual. "U.S. National Health Spending, 2004." 28 Aug. 2006. 12 Feb. 2007 . Bernstein, Andrew. "The Evil of Socialized Medicine." The Ayn Rand Institute. 22 Sep. 2004. The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism. 12 Feb. 2007 . Goodman, John. "Five Myths of Socialized Medicine." Cato's Letter 31.1 (2005): 1-9. Lemieux, Pierre. "Socialized Medicine: The Canadian Experience." The Freeman (1989). 12 Feb. 2007 . Reed, Lawrence W. "Socialized Medicine Leaves a Bad Taste in Patients' Mouths." Mackinac Center for Public Policy. 23 Feb. 2000. Mackinac Center for Public Policy. 13 Feb. 2007 . "Tired of Socialized Medicine." Investor's Business Daily 26 Jan. 2000. 12 Feb. 2007 . Wheatcroft, Patience. " The Money Addicts: It's Your Cash They are Gambling With." The Telegraph 23 Apr. 2006. 12 Feb. 2007 . Williams, Walter. "Why Canadians Purchase Private Health Insurance." Capitalism Magazine 20 June 2005. 12 Feb. 2007 . Read More