Universal health care became popular with former President Bill Clinton. Though President’ Clinton’s plan is viewed at as a failure, it did launch the universal health care and got many US citizens considering a united health care plan. Ever since the plan was proposed, the subject matter on a united and universal health care system for the United States has carried on to be incorporated into election debates as a proposed solution to the health care crisis in the country. Universal health rights or also widely referred to as a single-payer system, united health care system, national health care or universal health care, is comparable to the present US Medicaid health care program for low-income individuals but would pertain to all citizens of the United States regardless of ability to pay.

Several other countries have a united health care system or universal health rights, and all industrialized nations except for the US, have some kind of single-payer universal health care system. Most likely Canada and the UK provide coverage under this form of universal health rights system.

History Of Universal Health Rights

In the 1880s, the majority of citizens in Germany were covered as part of the mandatory health care system revolutionized by Otto von Bismarck. The National Health Service, introduced in the United Kingdom in 1948, is known as the world’s first universal health rights system offered by the government.

How It Works

Universal health rights or care is a broad concept that has been employed in various ways. The core idea or philosophy for all such plans is some type of government action making it a goal to provide access to health care as much as possible. Most nations employ universal health care via regulation, legislation and taxation. Legislation and regulation instruct what care must be offered, to whom and on what purpose. Oftentimes, some expenses are accepted by the patient at the point of consumption but the bulk derive from a set of compulsory insurance and tax revenues. Some plans are paid for completely out of tax revenues. Sometimes, the government participation also involves directly organizing the health care system, but several other nations employ combined public-private systems to perform universal health care.

The Issue

The United States is the only industrialized country that does not ensure access to universal health rights (as right of citizenship). The US does not fare well when it comes to health care system despite having the best trained health care providers and medical infrastructure. There is a misconception that universal health care would be too costly-the US shells out 50-100 percent more on administration compared to single-payer systems. So by reducing these expenses the US would have the means to offer universal health care. There is also a misconception that universal health care would prevent citizens from accessing needed services, but this would not be the case, as all would access care. Furthermore, universal health care would not lead to government control and loss of freedom of choice-consumers and providers would be able to practice their rights in establishing benefits, rates and taxes. Studies have indicated that 60-75 percent of Americans would want a universal health care system.