Universal Healthcare Cons

Universal health care is a system where all citizens are covered under a government-run insurance plan. The system would cover everyone including the poor, unemployed, elderly and sick along with all healthy individuals. While the benefits of universal coverage are appealing, there are disadvantages to a universal health care system.

It's Not Free

• Universal health care is not a free service. The costs associated with universal health care would be paid through higher personal taxes or other means. Many companies fear the cost of health care would be passed down to the companies, which will cause companies to charge more for services and will ultimately be passed down to the consumer. While the idea of going into a doctor's office and not having to pay a deductible or bill afterward is great, the bill would have already been paid for by other means.

Access to Services

• One of the largest drawbacks to universal health care is the access to services. Countries that already have universal care systems have complaints from citizens over lack of access to specialists and services. In 2006, 900,000 Britons were waiting for admission to National Health Service hospitals, according to L.A. Times articles. A supreme court justice in Canada, Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin, stated that, "access to a waiting list is not access to health care."

Competition

• America is a country based on the free market and competition. Pharmaceutical companies compete to get the newest drugs to market because of financial benefits it receives. If the country were to adopt a universal health care system, the government would insist that the product be shared and costs reduced, making it less profitable for the company. This would reduce the benefits of developing new products and ultimately reduce competition in the marketplace for new breakthrough medications.

Government Involvement

• Universal health care would be run by the government. This means that every service would have to go through the bureaucratic red tape involved. Having seen how the U.S. government has handled other programs such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac citizens may be skeptical of government plans. Other government social programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are in bad financial shape and need financial overhauls in the coming years. With an universal health care system, the government would decide what services you received and when you would be able to receive the services, which is a far cry from the system in place today.