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Universal health care means health care for the whole world and I don't think the Americans are willing to pay for that. But if they would develop a system of national health care that would be a really good idea. It has been talked about for many years and many presidents have promised it, but so far nothing has happened.

For this to be organized in the USA several things will need to change.

First thing to change must be the general attitude. At this moment too many Americans think it's normal that they can't get certain treatments or medicines because they can't afford it and they just don't realize that that's not normal, and that in many other western countries everyone can get those treatments. As long as the people don't realize that something normal is kept away from them, they won't take action and nothing will change.

Second thing that would have to change is the "malpractice" laws. Because doctors can be sued for absolutely everything, even the smallest mistakes (and we all make mistakes and doctors are only humans and no infallible gods), they need to pay for expensive insurances, so they must ask high fees. The same goes for the hospitals, which pay fortunes for insurances. This is the reason why the health care in the USA is so extremely expensive, though the quality isn't better than in Europe or Australia. If everyone can use the health care system and everyone can sue doctors for the smallest things, then the government simply can't afford it.

The third thing of course is the whole system that would have to be changed. And considering the enormous amount of red tape that would involve it would take 20 years to do it. And considering how often the different parties change power at the different positions, it's very unlikely anything will every happen in this area.

And then last but not least: the systems in Europe (and Australia) are based on the "solidarity principle". This means that people with a high income pay more and people with a low income pay less, or nothing at all. And Americans don't like this type of systems. Rich Americans want to keep all their money for themselves and don't want to share with those who are less fortunate. (This is also the reason why the country with the highest average income in the world has so many people living in third world circumstances).

So yes, it would be great if the USA would change to a good health care system that covers all important things for everyone, but I'm afraid it will never happen.

Learn more about this author, Rixta Francis.
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