| The idea of a nationalized healthcare system has | | | | begun moving toward socialized healthcare for |
| been around for a long time, and like most other | | | | several years now. It works like this: Medicare and |
| social ideas, it sounds good when you first hear it. | | | | Medicaid put about 20% of the country in a free |
| Healthcare for everyone in the United States | | | | healthcare program, but someone has to pay for |
| would be a dream come true for lots of families | | | | it; so the other 80% see a rise in their healthcare |
| but the problems with universal healthcare far | | | | costs. This causes more people from the 80% to |
| outweigh the benefits. Many countries have tried | | | | lose their healthcare because they can no longer |
| this and failed because of some basic ideas that | | | | afford it and they join the other 20% who are |
| aren’t even being considered. | | | | getting it for free. Healthcare costs continue to |
| | | | rise for those who are paying for it as more and |
| 1. The Competition – or lack there of. One | | | | more people get it for free; but in the end, this |
| of the things that made this country great is the | | | | money has to come from somewhere. The only |
| free market principle of competition. Doctors | | | | way to fix this problem is to un-socialize the |
| spend years in medical school to graduate and join | | | | system and make healthcare affordable to more |
| the ranks of practicing MDs. When they do, they | | | | people. One company with a solution is Ameriplan |
| usually have huge debts to repay and big dreams | | | | Health. In this health program, doctors offer big |
| of being successful, rich doctors. Competition | | | | discounts for all their services in exchange for |
| creates winners and these doctors strive to be | | | | payment from the patient… no insurance or |
| the best so they can make a name for | | | | big government to get in the way. |
| themselves and ultimately make more money. In | | | | 3. The Government – can’t do |
| a universal healthcare system, the government | | | | anything efficiently. Every program that our |
| decides what a doctor can charge and they all | | | | government has taken over dies a slow death. |
| make the same amount. There is no longer a | | | | They have ruined retirement with social security, |
| reason for a doctor to strive to be the best | | | | and forced more people into poverty through |
| because there is no reward for doing so. This | | | | welfare. This is the same group of people that |
| hinders medical advancement and makes | | | | pay $5,000 for a toilet seat. Most of the people |
| everyone take the same sub-standard healthcare; | | | | on capital hill have never had to worry about |
| it also greatly reduces the drive for people to | | | | healthcare and have no idea how it works. They |
| become doctors at all. I understand that the need | | | | are interested in your vote; and if universal |
| to help others should always come first, but that | | | | healthcare sounds good to you, they will be happy |
| won’t pay off years of student loans and | | | | to do it regardless of right or wrong. Good |
| put food on the table. | | | | healthcare is not a right… it’s a |
| 2. The Cost – somewhere in the | | | | privilege that should be worked for and cherished, |
| neighborhood of $3 trillion per year. That makes | | | | not handed out. |
| the recent stimulus package from congress seem | | | | I wish everyone could have the best healthcare |
| small by comparison. Large numbers like this tend | | | | but that is not the world we live in. We should |
| to fall on deaf ears because no one really knows | | | | endeavor to make it as affordable as possible for |
| how much that is. To give you an idea, it’s | | | | as many people as possible, but the more |
| $10,000 per year for every person living in this | | | | "free" it becomes, the worse it will |
| country. The reason healthcare costs have risen | | | | get. |
| to where they are is because we have already | | | | |