Universal Healthcare--George Orwell and Universal Healthcare

David Zannucci – Well, it seems that if we elect a Democrat as President while we have a Democrat congress, then we will finally get universal healthcare in the United States. This is not a good thing.
Don’t misunderstand me, if it were a perfect world and universal healthcare were truly a philanthropic enterprise, I would approve. But let’s face it, money is always the bottom line in this society and we have allowed healthcare to become prohibitively expensive. Our country is in debt up to its eyeballs and once universal healthcare becomes a reality, balanced budgets will become a quaint notion from a time long passed. And yet none of that is why I oppose universal healthcare.
The first thing our government will do is try to control costs, and they will do this by finding reasons to deny healthcare to segments of our population. Through the fallacy of disease prevention, certain behaviors will not be allowed if an individual wishes to receive healthcare.
First, drug tests will be required so that anyone who is using a drug that is not government approved will be denied healthcare. Personally, I don’t want to pee in a cup every time I go to the doctor. Alcohol consumption will be next and then fat intake. What will they think of the Adkins Diet? Exercise will be mandated by the government in an effort to make people healthier. A few pounds overweight? Sorry, we can’t waste our money on you. After all, it’s your fault you got sick. Homosexuals will soon be denied medicine for AIDS. The government will claim they were engaging in risky behavior and should have known better.
And what about speaking English? As English only laws become more and more popular, do we really think we would waste our money on someone who hasn’t learned the language? It gets worse. With ultrasounds and genetic testing, we can tell early in the womb if a baby may have birth defects, mental retardation, or any number of disabilities. Why should the government let women have these babies when they will clearly cost the taxpayer so much money? China won’t be the only country with forced abortions for long.
Soon, those with money will be expected to pay for their healthcare again, despite the massive tax increase they will surely absorb. “Universal” healthcare? Don’t make me laugh.
Lest you think I’m overstating my case, let’s look at other countries with universal healthcare. In the United Kingdom, citizens are already being denied healthcare for questionable reasons. The man who recently couldn’t get ankle surgery until he quit smoking cigarettes is a perfect example. I don’t mean to be offensive, but we are an extremely greedy country; any money saving steps that have been taken in other countries will be multiplied here.
Currently, anyone can walk into an emergency room and receive care. That will not be the case for long. I have a friend who has been on disability for years. Since I have known him (about five years) I have never known him to have a job, health insurance, or much money. And yet, last fall he had both gall bladder surgery and open-heart surgery and wasn’t expected to pay a thing. He has a handful of prescriptions and they continue to get filled, despite his inability to pay. I have no problem with this; it simply makes me wonder why we need such drastic changes when the poor are already receiving care.
I am in my thirties and I have several friends around my age without health insurance. They don’t really need it because they never have to go to the doctor anyway, but most of them have been convinced by the media that they are somehow suffering because they have no insurance.
There are certainly things we could do to lower costs and these should be tried before resorting to a health care system that invades our privacy at every opportunity. But universal healthcare makes a good sound bite and bumper sticker for politicians wishing to be elected and the media plays along, convincing people they need something they really don’t. Although changes should be made, let’s think before we open a Pandora’s Box that leads to a bigger police state than we already have.

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