That’s why it is important for a society to have some form of universal health care coverage for all its citizens. Hence, universal health care is no longer a talking point. Years of studies, preparations and proposals, a mountain of supportive data and a clear legal mandate fell by the wayside as soon as Governor Shumlin felt that the political stars were no longer aligned. That is the healthcare crisis. Universal HealtH Coverage? Why Universal Health Care is better. Why is universal healthcare important? Access to health care based on need rather than ability to pay was the founding principle of the Canadian health-care system. Meanwhile, in Washington DC, even the Affordable Care Act's approach of making private health insurance more affordable by subsidizing over-priced insurance products is under attack in the Supreme Court. By. At the same time, people need to be protected from being pushed into poverty because of the cost of health care. The odds against universal health care advocates are long: What does it take to turn a market commodity into a public good, and dismantle an entire industry along the way? It is a national security imperative. Governor Shumlin's own proposal for public financing showed that 9 out of 10 families would see their incomes increase if the state moved to universal health care, with only the wealthiest facing a decrease, while the system overall would generate substantial savings. [...] Now we are dealing with issues that will cost the nation something in terms of billions of dollars. General taxation revenue is the primary source of funding, but in many countries it is supplemented by specific charge (which may be charged to the individual or an employer) or with the option of private payments (by direct or optional insurance) for services beyond those covered by the public system. Health care is not a service that follows standard market rules; it should be provided as a public good." Yet the people's movement for our right to health, both in the form of Healthcare Is a Human Right campaigns in Vermont, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, and in vibrant variations in many other states, is continuing the struggle, guided by Dr. King's reminder that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.". Medicare was born in one province in 1947. You care. All rights reserved. You’re informed. At the core of this plan is an innovative, progressive business tax that takes into account company size as well as wage disparity. The World Health Organization’s Constitution affirms that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental human right, and more than half of the world’s countries have included the right to health, public health or medical care in their national constitutions. Civil society could only do so much and lobby for it. Because universal health coverage can help stop the world’s biggest killers. Universal Health Coverage (UHC)is based on two key ideas: 1) Everyone, everywhere, has access to the services needed to protect, improve and maintain their health. Many of people’s aspirations and desires cannot be met without longer, healthier, happy lives. Post Views: 140. coronavirus Healthcare. Why the country needs universal health care. Universal health care in most countries has been achieved by a mixed model of funding. For the past few years, as the limitations of the Affordable Care Act were becoming increasingly clear, a mass people's movement in the small state of Vermont paved the way for universal health care, winning the passage of a 2011 law that mandated the state to financed its health system publicly and equitably and guarantee access to care for all. The aims of primary health care overlap with those of universal health coverage, which aims to ensure access to essential health services and safe, effective and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all people. It is not a new task, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1967 speech, "America's Chief Moral Dilemma," reminds us: "It didn't cost the nation anything to integrate lunch counters; no expenses were involved; no taxes were involved. This plan, published by the Vermont Workers' Center and the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, shows that public health care financing at state level is not only financially and economically feasible but essential for paving the way toward a more equitable society. Countries implementing universal health coverage are seeing the benefits: ?healthier communities and stronger economies. 70 countries, including 30 of the world’s poorest, … 6 Reasons Universal Health Care Is The Right Answer For America. All over the world, the healthcare industry woul… The prospects for universal health care in the United States appear unusually bleak these days. Obamacare was flawed, but it was a step in the right direction. Lack of affordable, quality health care traps families and nations in poverty. Group health insurance companies are profitable when more money is received in premiums than is paid out in claims. Ideally, with a health care system under government regulation, everyone will have access to quality treatments at low costs. That's why his plan isn't necessarily "universal," because you can still opt out. How Fast-Food Companies Are Abusing Teen-Age Workers. Insurance operates by charging a monthly fee. According to WHO, the systems needs to be efficient, has to provide vital medicine as well as … Why Universal Health Care is better . 2) No-one should suffer adverse financial consequences when they need to seek care. Yet the governor's plan tanked because his business tax proposal was inequitable: small businesses were charged the same flat tax rate as large companies, making it a non-starter for the state's over 75 percent of businesses with fewer than 10 workers. Health care is a very important factor to determine the physical and mental well-being of the people, that is why it is also highly recognized as a great contributor to a country’s economy. A healthy nation they say is a wealthy nation. Universal health coverage has been proposed as a way of improving access to health care in low- and middle-income countries. Obama's plan recognizes this. However, it is not known whether implementing universal health coverage in these countries would result in reductions in mortality. 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