Question

One of the most divisive and economically pressing questions in U.S. domestic policy over the last several decades has been healthcare. The United States spends twice as much in terms of Gross Domestic Product on healthcare as the next biggest spender in the advanced world, and yet our average lifespan is less than most of the countries on the list. The debate in the U.S. is over whether or not healthcare should be a part our larger commercial system, and hence accessed through private insurers giving the consumer more "choice," or whether healthcare access should be guaranteed to all through either a hybrid public/private system (like Obamacare) or a more robust public system in which healthcare is guaranteed to all residents through a government-run healthcare program, with a potential downside of having less "choice" in such a system. Public polling suggests that there is no bigger public policy issue that Americans care about as much as healthcare at this point in our nation's history. For the discussion, which of the various options listed above (or options that you have researched on your own) do you support as the way forward for the American healthcare system? Explain your answer, arguing for its superiority over the other options.

Answer 1

The best choice for the United States would be a system in which everyone is covered by insurance, where a public robust option exists, but where there are also private options that can become spcialized in less essential care like comestic plastic surgery, or cosmetic dental care.

For this system to work better and to reduce the high spending in healthcare as percentage of GDP, many managerial jobs in the insurance industry should be cut, and only those that are essential should be kept.

The private options should be kept under a more rigid oversight so that they do not overcharge their users for services or prescription drugs.

Finally, the public option should be robust, insurance every person who cannot afford private insurance, and the government should make sure that it is well-funded.