The New System
Healthcare is often seen as a social welfare topic, and in many ways it is. Yet, so much goes into it that it can not be spoken of or addressed solely in that light. The fact is, healthcare very neatly falls under the umbrella of infrastructure.
So, ideally, our universal healthcare system will be at least loosely based on the NHS. We can monitor their system and adjust our own to fix or avoid any new issues that come up. The federal government will collect taxes from the populace. This income will compose the budget for our healthcare. The feds will also set the general policy for the system, adjusting it to the new times and knowledge available. They will provide pharmaceuticals by selecting the most affordable and effective manufacturer to be used in all instances where the drugs are necessary. It is an aspect of the system that the US already employs heavily from defense to road building. Data will be collected from the states to ensure that all policy changes are well-educated. The funds will be distributed among the states as a lump sum to be used at their behest provided that the federally set minimum standards are met. Experimentation should be encouraged.
The funding for all this will simply come taxes already being collected for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as an additional tax based on what the average American pays for private insurance whether individual or employment-based. The current programs will be gradually transitioned over to a universal healthcare system with each bill. The simple idea is that no additional money is needed to kick this off.
This system will be initially limited. Basic primary care, namely checkups, vision, mental health, and dental will be the targets of the US healthcare system. The goal is to encourage usage of the program by rendering those services free for all. With primary care now accessible, chronic ailments and other health issues that require time to manifest can be greatly reduced or eliminated as they can be caught sooner. Over-time, more services and features will be added, such as longterm care and the direct subsidization of hospital/clinic operating costs. Private insurance will remain to supplement federal healthcare if the citizen so chooses.
The going idea for all of this is that we will stop looking at healthcare as simple welfare, but a part of our infrastructure. We pay for many roads that we may never use simply because it is better if they exist. With the exception of toll roads, any person can use the roads paid for by taxpayers, with no qualms about the inherent presence of "freeloaders". A healthcare system no one uses is no system at all, and it is a worthy thing to have a robust system in place for our health.
So, ideally, our universal healthcare system will be at least loosely based on the NHS. We can monitor their system and adjust our own to fix or avoid any new issues that come up. The federal government will collect taxes from the populace. This income will compose the budget for our healthcare. The feds will also set the general policy for the system, adjusting it to the new times and knowledge available. They will provide pharmaceuticals by selecting the most affordable and effective manufacturer to be used in all instances where the drugs are necessary. It is an aspect of the system that the US already employs heavily from defense to road building. Data will be collected from the states to ensure that all policy changes are well-educated. The funds will be distributed among the states as a lump sum to be used at their behest provided that the federally set minimum standards are met. Experimentation should be encouraged.
The funding for all this will simply come taxes already being collected for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as an additional tax based on what the average American pays for private insurance whether individual or employment-based. The current programs will be gradually transitioned over to a universal healthcare system with each bill. The simple idea is that no additional money is needed to kick this off.
This system will be initially limited. Basic primary care, namely checkups, vision, mental health, and dental will be the targets of the US healthcare system. The goal is to encourage usage of the program by rendering those services free for all. With primary care now accessible, chronic ailments and other health issues that require time to manifest can be greatly reduced or eliminated as they can be caught sooner. Over-time, more services and features will be added, such as longterm care and the direct subsidization of hospital/clinic operating costs. Private insurance will remain to supplement federal healthcare if the citizen so chooses.
The going idea for all of this is that we will stop looking at healthcare as simple welfare, but a part of our infrastructure. We pay for many roads that we may never use simply because it is better if they exist. With the exception of toll roads, any person can use the roads paid for by taxpayers, with no qualms about the inherent presence of "freeloaders". A healthcare system no one uses is no system at all, and it is a worthy thing to have a robust system in place for our health.
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