Should the government guarantee health insurance for all?

[Jo]

If so, who should this 'all' include? Citizens? Legal residents? People here illegally?

Poll: The Politics Of Health Care
Most Americans Favor Universal Health Care, Give Democrats Edge On Improving System

Article and Poll Results (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/01/opinion/polls/main2528357.shtml)

[Lori]

I think that health insurance should be provided to all citizens. I think that health care should be available to all people who are here, but I don't think that non-citizens need to be included in a national health care system. Ideally, they would be, but while I think the government has a moral responsiblity to provide health care for all citizens, I don't think that moral responsibility extends to non-citizens, although it would be an altruistic thing to do.

[ColleenC]

Yes the government should provide health care for all. But here we do have it provided for all although it's not completely free it's way cheaper than in other places. Although people here complain about how hard it is to get in to see a doctor(it is hard to find a doctor if you don't have one and it takes months to see a specialist)I for one am extremely thankful that when I do need to see a specialist or when my kids need to go to the ER, I don't have to worry about whether or not we can afford it.

[Kate]

Being Australian, I take access to free and occasionally extremely subsidised health care for granted...and because of that, I can't understand how other governments don't provide the same in their countries.

As far as who is covered, ideally, I figure everyone should be covered...but that's because I think that health care is one of those things that should be an absolute right for everyone, but I do realise that cost becomes a factor.

I know that in Australia, all Australian citizens, and permanent residents are eligible for free care, and people from countries that our government has reciprocal arrangements with as regards shared care, like the UK.

I do know, however, that for those people who don't fit into those groups that the costs for them to use Australian healthcare are still subsidised, for example to go to the ER there is a $100 fee, but what the costs are after that I don't know.

I don't know if that's the perfect system for everywhere, and I know our system isn't perfect, but it works. So in that, it might be a place to start tweaking from.

[Jurgita]

I don't know about those who are staying here illegally, but as long as you live in Finland you get free health care. You don't need to pay for anything, unless you want to go and see private doctor.

[Onyx]

100% Yes!!!!!!

[Beka]

anyone in england can walk into a hospital and be treated in emergency.

We have a "free" healthcare system which was set up after WW2 and there was a great need in the country. It is maintained and funded by a program of "national insurance" and income taxes- dependant on ones income level you give anywhere between 25-40% of your earnings to national insurance & income tax combined- these fund the police, hospitals, doctors services and several other public services (things like refuse collection come under council tax, things like road maintainence under road tax) it can seem like a big chunk of ones earnings to lose but it means there is health care at no cost reguardless of how serious an illness is- a triple bypass would cost me nothing (but sadly waiting lists are so long many die waiting on surgeries like this which is why we do have private healthcare system as well for people to get seen quicker if they have the money) non-essential medical treatments like cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments etc have to be privately funded but essential treatments are all free if you can wait the times the waiting lists require (it can take me up to 3-4 weeks for a regular doctors appt, up to 6-12 months for a hospital appt)

It's reassuring to know it is there when we need it but being a publicly funded system it often suffers dramatic cut backs due to lack of funding

[Desirae]

I think all citizens should have insurance. As for non-citizens, I think they should get health care but should still have to pay in some way. Having family that works in hospitals I can tell you there are MANY people who come into this country and get free health care. I personally feel we should take care of our own before doing things for free for people in other countries.