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Advocates Of National Health Insurance May Be Missing Points
During every major election there are several debates regarding the need and affordability of national health insurance with many people pushing for health care for everyone. The claims is that a national health insurance plan will make quality health care available for every citizen equally with little if any our of pocket expense.
Many see two main thoughts on health care, one is that it is a right of every citizen to have access to quality health care and is best served by a national health insurance system. Others believe health care insurance should be an individual choice and allow the market to fill the needs of the individuals. However, the continuing increases in the cost of health care, under the current often confusing system, has priced health insurance out of the reach of many citizens.
While the debate over national health insurance is mostly an emotional one, often drawing in advocates for the rights of the poor or underprivileged, there are some aspects of a national health insurance system that many either are not familiar with or choose to ignore. Mainly, true emergencies are treated first and there are no class divisions when it concerns health. The individual's income plays no role in the availability of treatment.
When Funding Runs Out, Health Care Ends
In most countries with national health insurance a budget is established each year. Sometimes for the overall cost to the country of health care and sometimes each different type of ailment has its own budget. When the money in the budget has been spent, those needing treatment will have to wait until the next budget is approved and money is available for use.
While emergency treatment is rarely turned down, other non-emergency procedures may be put on a waiting list until the money is available. Prescription costs are considered in the same fashion in that maintenance drugs should be available at all times, those considered non-essential may not be available if the money in the national health insurance budget runs dry.
Health care providers in this and other countries do not choose their profession based on working for nothing. In a free market such as in the United States, they are free to charge whatever the market will bear for their services. Some opponents to a national health insurance system, predict that the number and the quality of physicians will decline if it become apparent that the medical field is not as lucrative as under a market demand health care system.
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