Dude, I want universal healthcare

Dude, after watching these videos, I want universal healthcare (not that I didn't before..but I think now more than ever).

The thing that struck me most with these five countries is that even though their healthcare spending per GDP is a lot less than the US, their citizens seem to be getting more benefits. These countries seem invested in healthcare as a right, and providers (whether public or private) are okay with accepting that it may not lead to lots of profits (although there may be profits to be made such as in supplemental services in Switzerland).

In the UK, government providers compete against each other "to survive."

In Japan, the insurance companies are barred from making profit, as the government health ministry controls prices.

In Germany, hospitals cannot raise prices and the hospitals and the doctors are not paid enough (as evidenced by the doctor strikes in March 2006).

In Taiwan, the government is now borrowing from private banks to pay providers.

In Switzerland, there is extreme competition between private providers and the only way profits can be made is through supplemental coverage.

The fact that healthcare is such a profit-rich arena in the US serves to point out an inherent difference between these countries and our very own. Furthermore, a lot of our healthcare spending is dedicated to administrative costs compared to countries like Taiwan who have a "Smart Card" that minimizes the need for such expensive administrative costs (costing them less than 2% of their GDP).

Bankruptcy in these countries due to healthcare spending is almost unheard of, which leaves a lot to be desired in the US. I couldn't help but wonder why such a developed country like ours can be in the forefront of so many issues, yet be so behind. We need to first change the social and cultural values that we place on healthcare. Is it a right to us or a privilege for the few? If it is a right, then we need to start really investing into this idea that it seems like all countries but us have adopted--universal healthcare. I'm glad that healthcare is now making headlines in the Obama administration.

-Alex Nguyen