Should universal health care be freely given to everyone?
The debate on free health care is routinely brought up during political campaigns. We can agree that health care is the right of every citizen, like housing and food, but is universal health care a viable option?
In 2019, the UN General Assembly came out with a political declaration on universal health coverage. The declaration calls for free and easy access to essential medical services for all citizens, in addition to protection against financial risks, affordable vaccines, and medicines for all.
What is universal health care?
When a government provides universal health coverage to its citizens, they can access health care as and when they need the services. This takes away the financial burden from a citizen and makes health care affordable and accessible.
Impact of free health care
Even though Universal health coverage promises to offer free health care, these medical services still have costs. Health care providers, procedures, hospitalisations, palliative care, etc., all need to be paid for. The government pays the cost, but how? Eventually, taxpayers bear the additional burden. In developing nations like India, this can also affect infrastructure and the other development sector of the country.
Besides, universal health coverage would also mean longer waiting queues outside medical facilities. When patients pay for health care services, they selectively seek medical advice. But with free health care, they may end up in doctors’ chambers more often than required, burdening an already burdened system.
A debatable subject
Health care costs are indeed rising around the world. In countries like the United States, people cannot afford health care without insurance. On the other hand, free health care is a norm in some countries like Canada and the United Kingdom. But these nations still struggle with shortages and long waiting queues. While economies are dealing with their own set of challenges, universal health coverage cannot be made a norm. Bureaucracy and monopoly are other major concerns in this area and can affect developing nations like India to a great extent. Hence, it is still a subject of debate whether universal health care should be given to citizens as a basic human right.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How many countries have universal health care?
All countries in the world, barring 43 nations, offer universal health care to their citizens.
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What are the negatives of universal health care?
The cons of universal health care include logistic challenges, added burden on taxpayers, and long waiting queues.
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Which country has the best health care in the world?
According to the Legatum Prosperity Index, Denmark tops the list of the best health care providers.
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Does China have universal health care?
China implemented universal health care coverage in 2011.