Should the United States Implement a Policy of Universal Healthcare?

The United States is one of the few industrialized countries in the entire world that does not have some type of universal health coverage for all citizens. As a result, millions in the U.S. face uninsurance, which creates large financial burdens and puts that portion of the population at risk of major illnesses or diseases. The Affordable Care Act was the last time the U.S. healthcare system was significantly altered. This paper will aim to explain why, once again, a change to the healthcare system is necessary. Using the healthcare systems in China, Canada, and Germany as models, we propose a healthcare system where every citizen is automatically enrolled, free of cost, into a government program similar to the existing Medicare or Medicaid programs with the option to switch to private insurance for basic or supplemental coverage. The paper will also answer questions and address potential counterarguments regarding this proposal, such as what the cost of such a system might look like.