Pro Universal Health Coverage

Pro Universal Health Coverage Explained

Contrary to popular belief, having a stance of pro universal health coverage does not necessarily translate into wanting medical coverage for everyone within a region, free of charge regardless of the procedure, and completely paid for by government sources. There is more than one form of universal coverage. Different countries – particularly in Europe – have experimented with different versions of universal health care with encouraging results.

Taxes

The version of universal health coverage that most people are familiar with is one that is funded mainly through taxation. The government imposes taxes onto the citizens and residents of the country, and then in turn supplies adequate medical care. This does not mean that people have the ability to walk into a medical facility, receive care, and then never pay any sort of fee or costs. This version often involves fees per office visit or other fees that are generally not prohibitive. In other words, the cost does not get so exorbitant that residents can’t afford the medical treatment they need.

People who are pro universal health coverage with a taxation model expect citizens or employers to pick up the tab for any small fees incurred for medical expenses, but also expect everyone to have equal access to quality medical care regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Mandatory Insurance

Another version of universal health coverage that exists requires all residents to have health insurance. This means that people don’t have the choice to remain uninsured, as they do now. This plan does not eliminate health insurance companies, but it does grant assistance to people who cannot otherwise afford to pay required premiums.

This version is designed to cut costs associated with medical care overall, because uninsured people account for a large portion of premiums already paid by those people who do have health insurance. In other words, insured people will no longer have to pick up the tab for uninsured people, because everyone will have health insurance.

Other Versions

Plenty of other versions of universal health insurance exist all over the globe. Some countries require employers to pay the cost for most medical expenses, while other countries provide universal health care on a partial basis, meaning that not everyone is covered.

Citizens versus Residents

One of the debates among people who are pro universal health coverage is who, exactly, will be covered under the umbrella of coverage. Will hospitals allow anyone to show up and receive care without payment regardless of their citizenship status? Should health care coverage be limited to bona fide citizens of the country? Plenty of people agree that some form of universal health coverage is important, but not everyone can agree as to who receives the benefits. In particular, these groups are in question when it comes to who receives medical coverage under a universal plan:

• Legal residents who are not citizens
• Illegal residents
• People with travel, student or work visas

A universal health coverage plan does not encompass absolutely everyone living and visiting within the borders of the country.

Source of Funds

Where should the money for a universal plan come from? While some proponents suggest taxation may be the answer, others feel that employers should pick up the tab. There are a variety of other suggested solutions for the problem of where the funds come from, and many of the versions include a mixture of sources.

The most commonly referred to version has the government funding medical care, using tax dollars and special funding. Some people who endorse this method, however, also admit that there is a certain apprehension about allowing the government to have too much involvement within the health care system. This apprehension certainly has the potential to further confuse a matter that is already quite perplexing.