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Universal Healthcare: The benefits Outweigh the Costs Essay

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The United States is known as one of the greatest world powers: however it is held back by its weak healthcare system. As of 2010 the US healthcare system currently ranks the 37th best out of 190 countries (Murray). Before the introduction of the Affordable Care Ac in 2010, the United States had an individual insurance market. It was the responsibility of the individual or their employer to take care of their healthcare costs. On top of this, millions of people could be denied insurance by different agencies due to pre-existing claims. Healthcare was expensive, but the costs were nothing compared to the medical bills owed by an uninsured person. Universal healthcare is a basic right not a privilege. Everyone should be given the …show more content…

This program has been an idea circulating around the American political system since the early decades of the twentieth century. Since then the concept has been stigmatized as a left-wing liberal view. However, many people do not know that the lack of public health insurance in the United States stems from a heavy racism within our country and the concept of conserving the “southern way of life”. In the early twentieth century Southern legislators had a great influence in the Supreme Court. With 17 southern states, the south had the ability to block any legislation of their choosing (23) They had considerable control over the house and senate and adopted many new programs that increased the power of white Americans in the south. Congress began to design policies that were racially based and excluded African Americans. Health services throughout the United States adopted new forms of racial segregation as well. Many white Americans were not in favor of the idea of public health care because it meant hospital integration. President Truman took a unique stance on public health insurance and tied the movement into the civil rights movement. Race relations and health insurance were woven together. Opposition to healthcare was seen as a way of promoting segregation. The American Medical Association played an important part in stopping America from adopting national healthcare. Their opposition was due to their

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