Overview

Universal health care has flown under the radar for quite some time, but now thanks to our recent presidential campaign, and maybe a little due to the well loved Michael Moore, this controversy has become a major issue for our time and is now being addressed.
As of right now the United States does not have a universal health care plan for all citizens. There is Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for lower income families, but nothing for the rest. The health care in the U.S. is not run by the government, it is a capitalist industry, meaning it is a for profit industry consisting of insurance companies. Individually people must pay for their own health insurance or be fortunate enough to receive it through their employers. Roughly, 15 percent, 45 million Americans, have no health care at all. A universal health care plan would give everyone health care through the government paid for in taxes.
Universal health care is such a controversial topic because it would cause a huge change in our economy and way of life. While this change would not be impossible those who oppose it fear it would cause our already fragile economy further strain ( 16 percent of the U.S. economy functions on health care). Others fear health care modified by the government would weaken the aptitude of our health care, that doctors would not be as efficient and everyone would not receive as much care. Proponent of a "single-payer" system, universal health care feel it is not impossible and is a necessity to insure the health of everyone in this nation. Health care effects everyone involved and therefore this issue is a concern to the entire country.
I chose to research this topic because I feel it is one of the primary issues concerning the American population. Through taxes our government supplies our schools, police, libraries, and fire fighters; institutions deemed necessary for our well being, why should health care be run as a for profit organization and not mandated through the government so everyone has an opportunity to the same care? In my opinion health care needs to be universal for everyone in the United States, it is crucial for our well being.