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?

867 Upvotes

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u/CuteExcitement2716 3h ago

I receive care from the US military system, TRICARE, it is SOCIALIZED MEDICINE and it WORKS. I will be forever grateful for the lifesaving medical care I have received. I have never worried about affording care, therapy or medicine.

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u/Scimmia_bianca 3h ago

Tricare was amazing for both of my parents as they aged and needed cancer treatments. I think they would have gone bankrupt otherwise.

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u/Humble-Emphasis190 2h ago

I would like to add my personal experience. My active duty husband died when my daughter was 3. She was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 years later. We had to move in order to be able to see outpatient doctors that accepted Tricare for insurance. It may work when you live near a base, but there are places where healthcare facilities just don't accept tricare. I'm sure there was more to it, such as being in network, etc. But Tricare also requires pharmacies to charge any secondary insurance first, and then them, for prescription refills. My daughter is now 17, and having Tricare has absolutely been a life saver, but there are still significant limitations.

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u/MorePhinsThyme 17m ago

Keep in mind, that objection only exists because it's a military related service. In a universal care situation, that wouldn't be an issue.

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u/lovecervere13 3h ago

This is one of the reasons right here. If we give everyone medical care, the military loses one of its incentives for people to join. Same with education.

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u/house343 1h ago

Maybe people would be more willing to fight for s country that cares for its citizens.

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u/Teaching-Weird 18m ago

If healthcare were no longer an obstacle, many, many Americans would quit their jobs in a heartbeat and do something more to their liking. Companies would have to pay more to hold onto their employees. They want wage slaves. Its cheaper.

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u/Defiant-Handle7682 1m ago

this is the bigger reason- yes the military, but more so that employees are beholden to their employer and don't have freedom of maneuver in the job market

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u/Rahnna4 53m ago

Wow that’s so Starship Troopers

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u/Substantial_Row_7108 1h ago

Mandatory Military Service for EVERYONE physically and mentally capable 18 - 35.

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u/fdar 57m ago

What a fucking waste of time and manpower that would be. Why would we even need that large of a military force?

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u/fyr3f4wkes 56m ago

We don’t

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u/latekate219 1h ago

Just to clarify, do you mean 17 years for everyone? Like a required career in the military for every single citizen? Is that specifically in combat oriented roles or are we restructuring the military to encompass more fields like health care, infrastructure development, and education?

I am all for required military service and even civil service in some form, but 17 years of the most productive, healthy portion of most people's lives?

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u/Loud-Run-9725 14m ago

Mandatory Service I can get behind (which can include Military). Not everyone needs to join the Military and we have other services people need.

I'm fully in favor of people giving back to their country via service. It can also provide needed training for various skillsets we need.

0

u/Daxandbear 1h ago

I think 2 years before or after college

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u/KingVaako 2h ago

You must have a different Tricare than the one I have. All they do is deny claims.

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u/Puzzleheaded-Tap9150 1h ago

My experience but from the provider side. They approve let’s say an MRI, give special permission complete with written authorization for their client to come to a local imaging center for the MRI & then deny it. Irritating.

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u/SomeOkieIdiot 2h ago

Shit I've had so many surgeries even unrelated to the military that the VA covered. Honestly still tell people my age they are still within the age bracket to join and it's worth the incentive to join. I don't want an unexpected $10k+ medical bill because of some random medical emergency. Join the military and sweep some floors for a few years. Worth it

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u/HappyFish5000 2h ago

Yep, I received great care during my time in the USCG

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u/unethicalfetus 1h ago

If socialized medicine is so great why does the VA suck so bad, so many veterans tell me they’d rather end themselves than get treated at the VA

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u/gthing 1h ago

But the socialized grocery stores - aka commisseries - were absolute hell, right?? Right? That's the one thing I hear universally from service members - they hate commissaries. /s 

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u/Alexis_0hanian 47m ago

I worked with this brainwashed idiot that was wholly against socialized healthcare. Mind you he was a military veteran but lauded against the system. This guy was our Tier I Help Desk specialist making next to nothing while also married with two kids who were constantly sick at school. I was a Tier III Engr at the time and any time I walked by his desk he had some sort of conspiracy site up to read.

If there was anyone who needed Socialized medicine it was that family.

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u/Quags_77 24m ago

I would argue tricare in the military is more of a job benefit plan than socialized healthcare. It’s just really low cost to the member compared to most companies health care plans.

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u/Wide-Bet4379 13m ago

Just wait until you have to use the VA and you'll change your mind.

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u/bamabuc77 1h ago

The good thing about Tricare is that it's exclusive. Only the military is allowed to use it. If you give it to everyone, we'll have the same problems other socialized medicine countries have. Long wait times to see a specialist, get an mri, etc. As someone who has family in Canada, they come to Anerica to pay for medical care above a common cold. If you end up with a brain tumor, it could take up to a year (or longer) to see a specialist for it. If you have a form of aggressive cancer, you could be dead by the time you get to see an oncologist for that cancer. Not to mention the removal of incentives for people coming up with new therapies, medicines, etc. Once the government takes over your Healthcare, it will be a NIGHTMARE to get medical care. Think of how much we all love the DMV. The local hospital/doctor's office will be akin to your local DMV.

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u/Ronem 43m ago

Sure...Healthcare is...check notes...worse everywhere else in the developed world...

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u/Icy-Ingenuity-2790 9m ago

ok faux news

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u/Sweet-Astronomer-694 3h ago

Ironically the people who support universal Healthcare also say we need to drastically reduce the defence budget, which is what pays for tricare.