FREE ESSAY ON SOCIALIZED MEDICINE

SOCIALIZED MEDICINE

Socialized Medicine
Socialized medicine is a service owned by all citizens and is present in many countries.
How does it work and what does it do for a nations economy?
One of the biggest fears most people have is becoming sick or injured, and the problem
for them is paying for it. Under socialized medicine people would receive health care,
regardless of their ability to pay. Everyone would be taken care of without worry of how
they would pay for their care. The World Health Organization, part of the United Nations,
says that, "health care is a fundamental human right." The benefit of national health
care would be potential for people to live longer lives. Costs would be driven down
because doctors, nurses, and other health care providers would become civil servants.
"Another benefit would be that malpractice suits would decline, because it is very
difficult to take legal action against the government" (Carol 1994).
Economics is the biggest factor in whether socialized medicine is good or bad for a
nation's economy. The United States, to a point, has socialized medicine with Medicare,
Medicaid, Veterans Administration Federal medicine, and health departments. The National
Center for Public Policy Research said that, "In 1990 the government shared 42 percent of
the health and gained over 50 percent of health care in 1992 as expenses begin to rise."
In 1993 health care expenditures consumed 13.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and
15.6 percent in 1995 according to the Heritage Foundation. "Typically, people mistakenly
blame rising costs on drug manufacturers, insurance companies, physicians, and hospitals.
But the rapid growth in medical expenses is rising due to the rise in medical services
needed" (Oatman 11-34). 
As the government attempts to establish health care, hospitals are being overburdened
with minor and unnecessary uses of health care services. These have caused emergency
rooms to be filled with treating common colds, headaches, and minor scrapes. Medicare is
said to be useless by the year 2002, just 8 years before 77 million baby boomers begin to
retire. "The only way that the country could continue is to raise taxes severely" (Oatman
40).
The supporters of national health care are Canada, Great Britain, France and Germany. All
are suffering from severe budget and service problems. They are all losing their best and
brightest doctors to the free market systems of the United States. These health care
systems have a two-class system. The rich in these systems use private hospitals with
private insurance to receive the levels of health care that the average American receives
(Peikoff 1994).
In Canada, the national health care system is facing many problems. Many hospitals have
been closed to cut costs, and proof of this is shown in the amount of Canadian health
care workers in the United States. Robert Bourassa, former Premier of Quebec, after
discovering that he had melanoma, flew to Washington D.C. for further consultation at the
National Cancer Institute. Former Cabinet Minister, John Moore, in charge of British
National Health Service, checked himself into a private hospital for treatment of
pneumonia. "The British Royal Family has such faith in their health care system, that
they are all treated in private hospitals. Socialized medicine is such a failure, even
government officials admit to it by their actions" (Mc Cuen, 1988).
When health care starts being a right, the medical profession will not be as wealthy, and
the quality of medical care will be decreased. Under the traditional American health care
system a person has the right to health care if one can afford it, if you earn it by your
own actions and efforts. But no one has the right, just because they want or need it.
Pierre says that one is born with a moral right to hair care and the government should
provide that free of charge. As a result, people show up everyday for an expensive new
styling, the government pays out more and more, and barbers love their new huge incomes.
Would you even think that a hairstylist could possibly even come close to making as much
money as a doctor or nurse? These are not quite the actual standings but close enough for
concern. There are also free hair implants, eyebrow plucks, breast implants, nose jobs,
dental expenses tummy tucks, any type of plastic surgery you could possibly dream of
getting, this could all be available for you, if you need it or have the want for it.
Beauty schools have taken off, and tuition for them is sky high. Beauticians are working
and spending like mad, trying to give every customer his or hers heart's desire, which is
a millionaire's appeal with special hair care and service (Sherrow 1994).
The country also has a budget that is out of control, and as a result the government
attempts to keep costs down by limiting the number of barbers, limiting the time spent on
haircuts, and putting limits on types of hairstyles. The government makes an attempt to
control the number of barbers, but is unsuccessful. The government becomes larger by
making a whole multi-million dollar computerized office of records with inspectors, while
maintaining this is just a huge waste of money. Some barbers still seem to be making too
much money. So now barbers have to start applying for Certificates of Need in order to
buy razors. High prices, high taxes, and expensive equipment make it a little harder for
a barber to run a successful business.
If we lived in an ideal society, everything society deemed a right, everyone would have.
Nobody has the right to the services of any professional individual or group, simply
because he wants them or desperately needs them. There are other alternatives such as
charity as exempting the elderly from taxation. One can understand that some people
cannot afford health insurance due to the fact that the person chose not to invest in an
insurance policy. When politicians and bureaucrats screw up the economy, you can always
do without for a while and make more money next year. When they screw up your health,
you're dead. My health and presumably yours is much too important to be entrusted to the
government. If the medical profession believes everyone is entitled to health care, then
health care should be provided for free by those who believe it is a right, rather than
getting the government involved in coercing funds through taxation. "If the medical
profession is so compassionate, why do we charge people for our services? That isn't
compassionate" (Szumskie 72-87).
People in Quebec are so used to socialized medicine, that they are limited to hospital,
laundry, or cafeteria services. There have been discussions of allowing Health
Maintenance Organizations (HMO's) in Quebec, where HMO's are totally financed and
controlled by the public health insurance system. The government of Quebec has repeatedly
come out against HMO's. "People under socialized medicine would never like the change to
an HMO system" (Mc Cuen 1988).
"In Quebec, 62 percent of the population now thinks that people should pay nothing to see
a doctor and 82 percent want hospital care to remain free. People have come to believe
that it is normal for the government to take care of their health" (Carol 1994).
Opponents of private health care hate competition and private enterprise. They dispose
the idea that some people may use money to purchase better health care. They think that
everybody should have less, as long as it is equal. This is morally and socially
unacceptable.
The first thing to realize is that free public medicine isn't really free. What the
consumer doesn't pay, the taxpayer does, and with a high interest rate. Public health
expenses in Quebec amount to 29 percent of the government budget. One-fifth of the profit
come from a tax wedge of 3.22 percent, charged to employers, and the rest comes from
general taxes at federal levels controlled by the public health insurance system. 
The government of Quebec has repeatedly come out against HMO's. People under socialized
medicine would never adapt to the HMO system. It costs $1,200 per year in taxes for each
Quebec citizen to have access to the public health system. This means that a two-child
family pays close to $5,000 per year in public health insurance. This is more expensive
than most private health insurance plans. Private doctors may not charge more than the
rates though. Because they have no choice, because private insurance for basic medical
needs isn't needed, there are few customers, and less than one percent of Quebec doctors
work outside the public health system. All doctors in the public system are in it
illegally; it doesn't allow private insurers from competing with public health insurance.
Real private hospital industry could not develop without insurance coverage, hospital
care costs too much for most people. In Quebec there is only one private for-profit
hospital, (an old survivor from when the government would issue a permit to that kind of
business) but it has to work within the public health insurance system and with
government budgets.
The basic health insurance has led to the public system of health care. The system is
slow to adjust to changing demands and new technologies. Day clinics and home care are
under developed and there are only two types of hospitals: the non-profit local hospital
and the university hospital, this does not give a person much of a choice when it comes
to looking for the best service and care, and don't forget price.
In conclusion, socialized medicine is a right to medical care, regardless of wealth.
Socialized medicine provides underprivileged people and children, with the non-worrying
and security to the medical profession, they can even become employees of the government.
Socialized medicine helps. Health care is a right at all costs. Socialized medicine may
be bad for a country's economy but in the end everyone is covered from birth to death.
Bibliography
Journals:
McCuen, G.(1988). "Health care systems: a global perspective". Poor and minority health
care, Vol. 1, p.54-109.
Oatman, E. (1978). "The question of quality". National medical care, Vol. 50. P. 11-34.
Sherrow, V. (1994). "The flight over access, quality, and cost". The health care crisis,
Vol.4, p. 9-23.
Carol, (1994). "Socialization of medicine". Socialist views, Vol. 1,p. 134-157.
Szumkie, B. (1989) "World health care". The health care crisis: opposing viewpoints, Vol.
4, p. 72-87.
Books:
Thiroux, J. (1995). Ethics Theory and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Internet:
Peikoff, J. "Socialized medicine vs. private health care"
{http://www.freemarket.org/features/spotlight/980.html}.