What are the pros and cons of free healthcare?
Free healthcare is a very popular idea, but while the pros of free healthcare are clear, there are some cons to consider.
Pros
No one needs to worry about a medical bill they can’t afford
The uninsured often put off going to the doctor, or they get treatment but don’t pay their bills. This can lead to serious problems down the road when they have nowhere else to go for care and end up in emergency rooms or charity clinics.
Everyone is covered, regardless of their income
The biggest advantage to government healthcare is that everyone is covered. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor; if you live in a country with government-funded healthcare, then you’ll be able to get the health care treatment that you need. This means that people who can’t afford private health insurance aren’t forced to choose between getting treatment for an illness or living in pain.
Healthcare is more preventative and holistic
The other benefit of having universal coverage is that it gives people access to preventative care and regular checkups, which reduces sicknesses and makes them healthier overall. This is good for people’s health in the long run, because they get help before an issue becomes serious (and expensive). It’s also better for individuals’ wallets: if you don’t end up needing to go to the doctor or hospital, you’ll avoid paying out-of-pocket costs.
Cons
Families have to pay higher taxes in order to have a publicly funded system
One of the biggest cons of free healthcare is that taxes need to be higher in order to pay for it. This means that people will have to pay more money and they may not want to do this.
Some people think it’s unfair if they have to pay for someone else who can’t afford healthcare, especially if they don’t think other countries have good systems. It can also be hard on businesses because they might want to hire more employees but can’t afford it due to higher taxes being needed in order for there being free healthcare available.
The government must be involved in healthcare decisions and treatments
In a free healthcare system, the government is involved in all aspects of healthcare decisions and treatments. This can be a positive or negative thing depending on your perspective. For example, if you believe that the government should have full control over your life (and even death), this would be a good thing for you. On the other hand, if you are not comfortable with your government telling you what to do at every turn and taking away your choices about how much medical treatment you can receive without any regard for cost or quality—then this might not be something that sounds like such an attractive deal after all!