socialized medicine essays

socialized medicine essays Socialized medicine is a service owned by all citizens and is present in many countries. How does it work and what does it do for a nations economy? One of the biggest fears most people have is becoming sick or injured, and the problem for them is paying for it. Under socialized medicine people would receive health care, regardless of their ability to pay. Everyone would be taken care of without worry of how they would pay for their care. The World Health Organization, part of the United Nations, says that, health care is a fundamental human right. The benefit of national health care would be potential for people to live longer lives. Costs would be driven down because doctors, nurses, and other health care providers would become civil servants. Another benefit would be that malpractice suits would decline, because it is very difficult to take legal action against the government (Carol 1994). Economics is the biggest factor in whether socialized medicine is good or bad for a nations economy. The United States, to a point, has socialized medicine with Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration Federal medicine, and health departments. The National Center for Public Policy Research said that, In 1990 the government shared 42 percent of the health and gained over 50 percent of health care in 1992 as expenses begin to rise. In 1993 health care expenditures consumed 13.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and 15.6 percent in 1995 according to the Heritage Foundation. Typically, people mistakenly blame rising costs on drug manufacturers, insurance companies, physicians, and hospitals. But the rapid growth in medical expenses is rising due to the rise in medical services needed (Oatman 11-34). As the government attempts to establish health care, hospitals are being overburdened with minor and unnecessary uses of health care services. These have caused emergency rooms to be f...