The Flawed Health Care System

I believe that there should not be universal health coverage in the United States because even though it sounds like an appealing idea, the universal healthcare system has major flaws. The idea of providing equal health coverage to everyone is actually unfair. Not only is it unfair it can be very detrimental to the growth of the economy.

What is wrong with Universal health Care? Human Nature tells us that free loaders will take advantage of any opportunity they can, which would make sense why the idea of a universal health care system might sound appealing. An article I read entitled, “Universal health care provides options,” demonstrated how the problems of universal health care can be portrayed by using the example of universal car insurance. “Car insurance is a great example of what could happen if human nature isn’t kept in check. Right now, the fear of losing one’s license or car insurance barely keeps drivers’ behavior in check. But what if the federal government required auto insurance companies to accept everybody, regardless of driving records? Further, what if drivers could not be dropped from insurance or get charged higher rates for reckless driving?” (Evans 2). I believe this quote shows a very good example of what problems arise with the universal health care system. There are still many other problems though.

Health care coverage should not be universal in the United States because of the unfair taxes that it places on people. I interviewed my father, Jeff Adam, who lived in Canada, which currently has the universal health care system, for most of his life and he told me that the system just does not work. “It was bad back then and it is even worse now.” He said that he was paying on average about fifty cents to every dollar he made. Forty of those cents went to health care, and the rest paid the other standard taxes. He was outraged because of these lofty taxes. It was very hard for a beginning entrepreneur like himself to even get his business started because most of the money he made was providing health care for the less fortunate (Adam). Supporting his healthcare is a difficult task in its self, having to support others adds to the struggle.

In the United States we currently have a system where only those who can afford health care will have it and those that cannot afford it, will just have to hope they do not go to the hospital. In Canada, it is just the opposite. Everyone gets free benefits from the hospitals and doctors. It does not matter if you are the CEO of a company and making millions or if you are just a college student and working for burger king, everyone gets equal benefits. How can that be though? The CEO  pays a lot more in taxes simply because he makes more than the burger king worker, but they both get the same benefits. This is not a fair system and thus supporting my stand that there should not be universal health care in the United States.

Another main reason why we should not have universal health care is because people abuse it. It is free right, so why not use it to its fullest advantage. That is exactly the problem that this system has. When a boy cuts his knee from riding a bike, instead of his parents thinking twice about the severity of the cut, they immediately take him to the doctor. Why not right, it is free! In the United States today, people are forced to choose between emergencies and minor injuries when it comes to going to the hospital. This is not the case in Canada and because of that, most people just go to the hospital without thinking twice.

With all these people taking advantage of the free health care, one can only imagine what that would do to the limited supply of health care facilities. In Canada, as my dad recalled from his personal experiences, it takes a very long time to get your free health care, two to three months on average (Adam). Can you imagine having to wait three months just to get surgery done on your knee? Obviously there is a major flaw in the system if people have to wait that long for treatment. This is how the system functions and unfortunately the Canadians who are opposed to this system must suffer with the rest.

As well as there being a very long wait to get treatment, it takes the incentive out of the customers shopping around for the best prices and the best services. As this quote demonstrates, “If you are paying a set amount per month and your co pay is ten dollars per office visit no matter where you go, why bother to look for a better price?” (Valenti 31). There is no reason to go look for the best deals when everything is the same price. Universal healthcare eliminates competition in a world that thrives on competition.

My final reason why there should not be universal health care in the United States is because the working class supports the rest. I know there are a few exceptions to this, but for the majority of cases, the working class supports the elderly and the youth of the system. Those who work have to pay more than half of their income to sustain the free health care system. Those who do not work get to reap the benefits of those who do. So regardless of how much someone works they still end up supporting a universal health care system that encompasses everyone.

Universal Health care has many problems associated with it. For those who choose to pay high taxes and wait months just for their doctor visit, healthcare may be for them.  It is unfair the way universal healthcare provides support to everyone regardless of their employment status. I disagree with universal healthcare and I hope that more people will realize it’s ineffectiveness.

Underage drinking has become a severe problem not only among college students, but sadly even young kids who are years away from being able to drive are drinking. Many factors are responsible for these drinking problems and unfortunately even though the causes are known, rarely action is taken to stop them. Are future children doomed into a world where underage drinking is accepted?

The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls according to a national study. It’s shocking to think that kids in junior high schools are experimenting with alcohol. Many teens face adult problems at a very young age. Underage drinking viewed in the eyes of parents and law enforcement agencies is a major problem among teens. Hopefully there will be a day that underage drinking is no longer cool or accepted and kids had other things to do than drink.

How truly vast is this problem of underage drinking in America? According to a recent study by the FDA, by age 14, 41 percent of children have had least one drink. That means on average, half of the students in a freshman high school class have tried alcohol. Underage drinkers consumed as much as $27 billion worth of alcohol in 1998 — $15 billion on beer alone (Grunbaum). Kids are not mature enough at that young age and therefore are responsible for more than 5,000 deaths annually. It is frightening to know that a children’s sleep over party which parents would willingly consent to, may have alcohol. Nevertheless, underage drinking is very common and still remains one of the greatest problems among the youth.

Many reasons and excuses form when it is time to give blame for underage drinking, but the problem is not caused by one factor alone. The most obvious and known reason for underage drinking is linked to the parent’s lack of parenting. Although the parents should be held responsible for their kids’ decisions, they are not alone to blame. The media is another factor in underage drinking. Kids see all their favorite movie stars and actors drinking in movies and shows and they assume it is ok to do. Not to mention the peer pressure they get from their fellow classmates and friends. With all these people telling underage drinkers it is ok to drink, the children believe that drinking underage is acceptable. And lastly, the availability of alcohol these days is shocking. Most kids know at least one person who can get them alcohol.

Lack of Parenting is commonly mistaken for the number one factor in their kids’ drinking problem (Bane). The parents should be held accountable for how they raise their child, but I do not agree that they are fully to blame. It is the responsibility of the parents to discipline and teach their children about the dangers of alcohol. There is an ongoing debate as to whether parents should allow their kids to taste alcohol at a young age or not. The argument is stated that if a child tastes a disgusting alcoholic drink at a young age he will be more likely not to try another. On the other side, people argue that exposing the youth to alcohol will make them more likely to drink later on in life. Unfortunately, no studies have proven either way to be effective yet. Parents must watch their kids and provide knowledge and facts about the dangers associated with alcohol.

Another problem is the availability of alcohol for underage drinkers. Many underage kids know at least one person who is willing to buy them alcohol. A study held by The Journal of Drug Education which involved 19 college students showed that these college students had very few problems getting alcohol. “We conducted focus groups pertaining to access to alcohol and related issues with 19 underage college students. They reported that alcohol is easy to obtain from a variety of sources, with friends/acquaintances who are of legal age or those with a false ID being the most common” (Fabrian). With alcohol so available, kids don’t have to work too hard to get alcohol and therefore they drink at an early age. They see their friends drinking and they believe it is ok. Media and television are also responsible for this accepted behavior. There are many reality television shows and mature movies that kids are exposed to that influence negative behavior among the youth. These kids are lost and need guidance not acceptance. They see their friends drinking, their parents drinking, celebrities drinking, why should they feel that drinking is a bad thing? Not to mention the peer pressure that these young kids receive from their older siblings and friends. Alcohol is out there and widely available and no one is really telling these kids that drinking is wrong and they should wait until they are of age.

Underage drinking is not a joke and should not be taken lightly. With this problem getting worse and worse and no solution on the way, there will be more alcohol related deaths and more injuries from this drug in the future. Alcohol is a dangerous drug, and until the youth can realize this fact, society will continuously become more acceptant to this juvenile behavior.