Stories of Universal Healthcare

People sometimes look to stories of specific experiences with universal health care to gain a better understanding of it. Opponents of universal health care have used stories of poor service and long waiting times to bolster their arguments. On the other hand, supporters have highlighted uplifting, positive stories regarding universal health care in countries like Canada, the U.K. and Cuba.

Negative

• A former British mayor and health system director died after repeated delays in receiving an operation. The Daily Mail newspaper indicates that she did finally undergo an unsuccessful surgery, but only, according to her husband, after she was considerably weakened by her inability to take in nutrients.

  Another story tells of a Canadian woman who had to travel to the United States in 2006 to receive quick treatment for a cancerous tumor. She was not reimbursed for the expensive medical bills incurred in the U.S., according to the Globe and Mail. The newspaper did indicate that some advances have been made in recent years with regard to cancer treatment waiting times and reimbursement for medical expenses outside Canada.

Positive

• National Public Radio interviewed a man with colon cancer in East Vancouver who said that he experienced no delays and didn't have any difficulty visiting medical specialists. He also did not have to pay for any of his treatments under Canada's universal health care system.

  Overall immunization rates more than doubled after Uganda's government eliminated medical fees to introduce universal health care, according to the World Health Organization. The poorest and wealthiest ill people both began to see doctors more often.

  The Michael Moore movie "Sicko" outlined several positive stories of universal health care, including free treatment for 9/11 rescue workers who traveled to Cuba. Moore also spoke to British citizens who had positive things to say about the National Health Service.

Mixed

• Other stories about universal health care include both positive and negative elements. These stories often gain less attention because neither the supporters nor opponents of universal health care seek to promote them.

  A woman in British Columbia told NPR that the Canadian universal health system had generally served her well, despite the need for multiple surgeries in the past. At the same time, she complained of some long delays and once traveled to the U.S. for treatment. The NPR report noted that Canadians rarely go abroad for health care.

  Canadian psychiatrists complain of some problems with waiting times and personnel shortages, but generally prefer Canada's universal health system to that of the U.S., according to Psychiatry News. Most advocated certain improvements to the Canadian system rather than its abandonment.

Overall

• What can we learn from all of these stories? They reveal some general facts about the strengths and weaknesses of universal health care in different countries, but we cannot fairly judge an entire health system from such stories. Many positive and negative stories about commercially-administered health care also prevail. To gain a full understanding, it's best to expand your research on universal care to include statistics and studies from reputable sources.