Universal Health Care Case Study

1. Should the United States move to a system that truly provides universal health insurance coverage? What are the key arguments in favor and against?
The United States should move to a system that provides universal health insurance or a system that parallels other universal health care systems. It is obvious that the current U.S. health system is failing and falling behind other countries around the world. Although the 2010 health care reform brought about many positive changes in the health care system, it created other issues. As a majority, Republicans are largely against universal health insurance. They would like to keep a private payer system, because they do not want the government to have any more control over the health care system.

“Data clearly show that pharmaceutical and medical products companies are among the most profitable industries in the United States” (2015). While medicine and medical equipment are very important aspects of the health care system, they should not be the most profitable sectors. If costs were reduced in either of these sectors, prices would be lower for private payers and perhaps help conserve government funds for Medicare and Medicaid recipients.
4. Should the United States put a cap on drug prices to restrain costs? Given the extraordinarily high cost of many of the newer and future drugs, should the government prohibit their production or refuse to pay for them?
The United States should put a cap on drug prices to restrain costs. Many drugs are necessary for people to live. It is unethical that pharmaceutical companies and private investors are allowed to inflate prices without any repercussions. These unprecedented inflations have recently occurred with a lifesaving Aids medication and with EpiPens. The government should be able to step in and regulate the cost of medicine not only to benefit consumers, but also help reduce government spending on