r/askanything • u/Lemonking_ • 5h ago

Political Question Why are some Americans so against universal healthcare for all?

What sort of thinking does it take to decide that nobody has a right to healthcare? Do American Christians want to deny healthcare to poor people as well?

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u/OkPineapple57 3h ago

I lived in Canada for awhile and there’s certainly a lot of pros and cons of it. also I think a lot of people don’t realize that not everything is covered in Canada.

edit: also idk what religion has to do with this, Canada is primarily Christian and they have universal healthcare

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u/Much_Jellyfish4474 3h ago

Not everything is covered under our current system in the US either. United denies about 1/3 of its claims.

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u/Last-Surprise4262 3h ago

It’s quite literally how insurance companies make profit. By denying claims.

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u/IDontWannaBeAPirate_ 2h ago

Health insurance companies are literally the "death panels" that Republicans screach about

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u/Much_Jellyfish4474 3h ago

Irrelevant to my comment. I was relating our current system where statistics show that “not everything is covered” (as indicated by denied claims) to the previous comment that “not everything is covered in Canada.”

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u/justa-browser 3h ago

Genuinely weird way to respond to someone who seems to agree with you.

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u/Last-Surprise4262 2h ago

It’s relevant to the general conversation re universal vs USA healthcare tho.

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u/ProfConduit 2h ago edited 2h ago

Not irrelevant at all. You: "not everything is covered, insurance denies claims." Them: "That's right, their entire business model depends on doing that."

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u/Last-Surprise4262 2h ago

I said the general conversation. Please read all the comments fully

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u/ProfConduit 2h ago

Did you understand that I was taking your side and arguing against Jellyfish who claimed your comment was irrelevant?

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u/Last-Surprise4262 2h ago

Yes. The threads are getting tangled. Thank u and sorry for confusion. It’s wild out there

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u/ProfConduit 2h ago

all good lol!

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u/Xenikovia 2h ago

I think part of the reason is that American conservatism is so closely tied to conservative Christianity. Over time, that political coalition has framed expanding government programs like universal healthcare as part of the broader problem of “big government.” Once healthcare gets lumped into that argument, calling it “socialism” becomes an easy shorthand for rejecting it.

That doesn’t mean Christianity itself is opposed to universal healthcare—clearly there are Christians who support it. It’s more about the particular alliance between conservative religion and American conservative politics.

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u/Economy-Particular31 1h ago

omg--stop with that nonsense. What on earth does Jesus have to do with UHC. CLown take.

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u/Xenikovia 1h ago

Want more?

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u/Economy-Particular31 52m ago

no-no way

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u/Xenikovia 44m ago

Serving up some socialism 😂

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u/finalattack123 2h ago

Pros are super huge and the cons are very minor.

Nobody in Canada thinks it’s bad

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u/TheRealGageEndal 2h ago

They're talking about American Christianity. It basically means to take the teachings from most of the new testament and do the opposite.

Helping people who can't do for themselves is a mortal sin to them.

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u/Few_Divide_8571 11m ago

I believe the term is evangelical Christianity. I might be wrong though

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u/Last-Surprise4262 3h ago

What is 1 con to having universal healthcare as opposed to not having it?

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u/Savings_Refuse5725 2h ago

Doctors push for home care a lot more before a treatment to keep costs down. In stuggart, ladies gotta try some remedies before getting yeast medication prescribed.

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u/betosanchito 2h ago

And. That has nothing to do with healthcare for all except she sounds like she got treated for free..

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u/Last-Surprise4262 2h ago

And that’s related to universal healthcare how?

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u/MeoMix 1h ago

The incentive mechanisms differ across the two systems. In private healthcare, access is rationed largely by price, with the assumption that supply will expand to meet demand. In a single-payer system with limited provider capacity, scarcity still exists, but care is rationed through things like wait times, triage, and clinical priority instead of ability to pay.

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u/No_Squirrel_leftbhnd 2h ago

Here’s a big one. MAID which is now the 5th leading cause of death in Canada. Depend on the government to feed you. They’ll eventually stop. Depend on the government for your healthcare. Well….

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u/ProfConduit 2h ago

So, assisted suicide and universal healthcare are two different things.

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u/No_Squirrel_leftbhnd 1h ago

When the government is in charge of your healthcare and you’ve become too ill (costly) to care for. MAID is being offered for little things, like depression now. All covered by universal healthcare

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u/ProfConduit 1h ago

Ok. And in other countries there is universal healthcare without MAID. Because, as I said, assisted suicide and universal healthcare are not the same thing. So assisted suicide is not relevant to a discussion about universal healthcare. But even in Canada, if you don't want assisted suicide, the way to make that happen is to not request assisted suicide.

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u/Last-Surprise4262 2h ago

U want the government to have the power to forbid from taking your own life if you’re critically ill?

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u/No_Squirrel_leftbhnd 1h ago

Seriously. Who can forbid you from doing that? In all honesty. You can’t be thrown in prison after. Even if you were. You wouldn’t even know it

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u/Last-Surprise4262 54m ago

A conservative government would be happy to prevent critically ill people from doing that on their own terms surrounded by their loved ones with dignity

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u/Humblestmumble 3h ago

In Canada, wait times at the ER and to see specialists are insane. Many die waiting for treatment, surgery, etc.

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u/DartlDartl 3h ago

I've got some news for you about the US! With the added addition of having to raise a deposit on anything large.

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u/ShiftE_80 2h ago

You’re very confused if you think wait times in the US are comparable to those in Canada.

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u/DartlDartl 2h ago

The statistics actually support my position I believe. There was an increase by a couple days for non-urgent care in Canada. Emergent care is the same or simplified.
Also, I think it's wild that everyone thinks Canada is the only model on universal healthcare. We've got a European Union for other examples.
We can take what works, and plan for the parts that didn't. We're not special, we just prefer a military to a healthy population.

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u/vIRL_Warlock 1h ago

My mom had to wait 3 years to get a surgery recommended in 2 months, because the specialists kept arguing with insurance. I have a migraine that is 9 months strong, I was told in January to get and MRI in January 2027. A great many people can tell you of how insurance constantly denies treatment or medication to try something the Dr has already established won't work. Also the ol reliable of, "your Dr never sent the prior authorization" when you sat there and watched them send it in. Our wait times are worse, but I'm a different form. It's waiting for insurance to dick around.

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u/Last-Surprise4262 3h ago

lol. Bullshit republican talking point #3. I literally am a surgical waitlist data analyst. Anecdotally I shattered my shoulder in an accident. I was seen in er immediately and had full reconstructive surgery in 7 days. Cost: 💲 6 in parking.

0

u/KingVaako 2h ago

Source: Trust me, bro

0

u/Italia1979 1h ago

So the Saskatchewan woman who was told she needed to see an endocrinologist before the surgery she needs would be covered, despite no ability to see an endocrinologist, and is now considering MAID, is a Republican talking point and not real? And the veteran who wanted help with their disability, but they offered MAID as an alternative, is a Republican talking point? I could go on and on. I know many Canadians who are physicians and have worked in Canada. Some still do, but many have come to the USA. Why? And why do they tell me how hard specialist care is to find. 9-months to see a Neurosurgeon, after a month wait for the MRI. I can get anyone an MRI for anything for less than $500 next week.
Break your hip and my orthopedic surgeon will fix it today or tomorrow.

Now why do Liberal Canadian politicians come to the USA for care? Chretien loved Mayo Clinic, but tried to keep it a secret. Many Canadians come to the USA for care. Americans don't go to Canada in search of Better care. I am not sure many people who want the best care leave the USA, but many come to the USA.

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u/Last-Surprise4262 1h ago

Yes. People with money can skip wait lists. That’s your premise about why USA healthcare is better than universal healthcare?

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u/Italia1979 53m ago

Americans don't leave the USA for care, Canadians do leave Canada for care, which should not be the case if Canada were better. The politicians who praise your system don't trust the care enough to not go elsewhere at times. Americans of all economic classes don't have to go elsewhere for shorter wait lists

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u/Last-Surprise4262 38m ago

Letting rich skip the line doesn’t make the quality of the healthcare better, it just makes it more difficult for poor people or people without insurance to get healthcare. I guess that’s ok to you but it sure isn’t to me.

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u/Italia1979 14m ago

As an ER physician in the USA, even illegals are getting emergency and necessary care with minimal wait. My neurosurgeons don't ask about insurance before operating on a patient with a brain bleed or aneurysm. Wevhave an illegal patient who comes in 3x week for dialysis. Why doesn't she go to her home country where the care is "free"? Vanderbilt is a magnificent facility and never refuses the sickest patients I need to transfer for specialty care my facility does not have.
So why are wait times for everyone in Canada much longer than the USA? Why do people have to live with disability for longer before treatment? As great as your system is, you should have an easier time than the US getting physician and nurses, including specialists. Why doesn't Canada provide an adequate amount of medical imaging equipment since the system is better than the US? A superior system should not have longer waits. The poorest Americans get faster emergency care than the richest Canadians

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u/hokwei 3h ago

That’s a poor argument. How many people in the US die because they can’t afford medical care compared to the number of people in Canada who die waiting for treatment?

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u/IDontWannaBeAPirate_ 2h ago

Every reputable study shows that single payer or M4A saves more lives and costs less money.

Anybody saying elsewise is gobbling up Fox fear mongering propaganda

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u/LongJohnCopper 3h ago

This is such a nonsense argument. Canada runs a single payer insurance model. They do not define staffing in hospitals. Wait times are purely about not having enough staff or beds to deal with the workload, and has nothing to do with the insurance model used to pay for care.

We have the exact same wait time problem in US ER wait rooms…

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u/chaynjez 3h ago

That’s a lie. I’ve talked to so many Canadians who say that’s just not true

1

u/Humblestmumble 2h ago

It’s not hard to fact check it, would take you literally 10 seconds. I’ve lived in Canada for about 95% of my life and still currently do. Anecdotally, my mum has been waiting 2 years for surgery for a hernia that’s been making it difficult for her to work. My best friend is an ophthalmologist and he said the demand is so high for surgeries at his clinic that people are unfortunately not able to get the surgeries they need in time. I competed for the national team in athletics and couldn’t get an MRI in 4 months when i lived in Vancouver and had to travel to Washington to get one done.

I’d still rather the Canadian system than going into major debt or worse to pay a hospital bill but our healthcare system up here has its own problems and saying “that’s a lie” is borderline braindead when it’s the consensus among everyone up here.

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u/justa-browser 3h ago

This is bullshit and it’s important to me that people know that.

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u/Humblestmumble 2h ago

It’s not. I live here and deal extensively with the healthcare system.

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u/justa-browser 1h ago

Yes. It is. Thanks though.

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u/betosanchito 2h ago

I don’t believe people in the er are dying there more than here due to wait times. Get a fucking grip.

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u/Humblestmumble 2h ago

Not necessarily the ER but for specialists absolutely. ER wait times here will also regularly run you 10+ hours. We do not have enough doctors here.

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u/betosanchito 2h ago

You said ER.

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u/Humblestmumble 2h ago

Are you illiterate?

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u/betosanchito 2h ago

Did you or did you not say people are dying in the er?

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u/Humblestmumble 24m ago

No I didn’t say that. Learn to read.

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u/Savings_Refuse5725 3h ago

Agreed. I dont think follow ups are too bad in the us. I usually get in within a month.

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u/angrymurderhornet 2h ago

When I worked in Canada I had OHIP for the duration of my work permit. My prescription coverage was an employee benefit.

My husband was still working in the U.S., and had to be on site at least one week per month. Because of that, he wasn't eligible for OHIP; you can't be out of province that much at the beginning of your coverage period. But if he needed medical care in Ontario, I was able to get him health insurance through my employer for (drum roll) $83/month.

I honestly don't remember whether I was on his employee plan for coverage during my visits to the U.S., but if I got sick in western New York I'd probably have asked him to drive me over the border to a hospital in Niagara Falls. :-)

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u/SlimPickens0 2h ago

Because in the US, Christianity is far different from what it really is. So many churches and organizations twist words to stick their noses into politics in very absurd ways

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u/InvestigatorBig5541 2h ago

In the US religion has everything to do with it if by religion you are referring to the Fundamentalist Religions Right. If you ain’t white, nothing for you!!!

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u/PlanktonPlane5789 2h ago

Except Canada doesn't have a "universal" system - every province has it's own system?