The High Cost of Healthcare In America Today

Addressing the Social Problem Not always offered through employment High premiums Malpractice lawsuits Uninsured Private insurance companies are expensive pre-existing conditions weight and other restrictions

What We Don’t Like… Not affordable Restrictions Extremely unequal No naturopathy or similar alternatives offered

…And What We Do Like You can go to the doctor of your choice There is minimal wait time

From child to adult, upper class to poverty, everyone is affected.

U.S. Beliefs vs. British Ideas 1) One belief, held by the medical profession, is that they would lose still more power than they have already under corporate managed care. 2) Second, many believe that the only alternative to voluntary, market-based health insurance is a single- payer system financed by tax revenues. 3) Third, conservative policy-makers and providers imagine that a universal health care system would mean low salaries, rundown facilities, poor quality, and endless waits to see a doctor, as with the British National Health Service.

Canadian Health Care Canadian health care. (2004). Retrieved from Canadian Health Care system is a group of socialized health insurance plans that provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. Publicly Funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis All citizens have access to preventative care, medical treatments, access to hospitals, dental surgery and other medical services Canada Boasts one of the highest life expectancies and lowest infant mortality rates which many attribute to Canada’s Health Care system There are still a number of services which are not included in the Health Care system. Citizens must purchase private health care plans to be covered for these services. Currently there is about 1 primary care doctor for every 1000 Canadians Health Care expenditures in Canada topped $100 billion in 2001 Approximately 9.5% of Canada’s gross domestic product is spent on health care. In comparison, the United States spends close to 14% of its GDP on health care Individually, Canadians spend about $3,300 per capita on health care About ¾ of all funding comes from public sources, with the remainder from private sources such as businesses and private insurance

How it works: All citizens must apply for health care and then are issued a health card. This reduces need for paperwork each time a patient goes in for treatment. Certain provinces require health care premiums for services. Under the Canada Health Act, however, health services cannot be denied due to financial inability to pay premiums. Under federal law, private clinics are not legally allowed to provide services that are covered by the Canada Health Act o Regardless of this many still do so

ACA Strengths Affordable Care Act Preventive care is free Insurance companies will no longer deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions No one will be without health insurance coverage

ACA Shortcomings Affordable Care Act Preventive care is free Insurance companies will no longer deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions No one will be without health insurance coverage Not free but paid for up front in higher premiums Less than one percent of has been denied coverage for a pre-existing condition Tax increases

Our Solution Each state would be given power to work with current insurance companies and doctors to offer health care plans to those who do not qualify for any other insurance program.