Do You Really Want Universal Health Care?

20/20 aired an interesting program, John Stossel: Whose Body Is It, Anyway? Sick in America, on September 14th regarding Health Care and I was thankful for the viewpoint presented as it motivated me to do some research and I read all kinds of differing opinions, noticing each had very valid points.

I am in agreement that improvements need to happen in our health care system and I also believe that everyone should have access to quality health care, but how? And who will pay? Where does the responsibility lie?

Universal health care sounds great on the surface and at one time I would have supported it, but now I'm feeling differently. If the government were in charge, rationing would set in with limits on what kind of care was available, and the waiting times would be horrendous. With government health care there would be little or no incentive for doctors to provide the best, most efficient care possible and scientists would be less apt to advance and invent without a reward for their hard work. The point is - competition in the private sector gives us more choices, higher quality and lower prices. If the government were in charge, what motivation would there be for them to do it best? Look at how well they manage government housing, among other things.

Additionally, I don't think it's anyone else's responsibility to pay for my health care, especially if I've made poor choices like smoking, overeating, drinking in excess, etc. And why should I be forced to pay the increased costs for someone less healthy than myself? Free health care is not free and I can only imagine how much our taxes would go up should universal health care become a certainty. Someone has to pay and that someone is usually the little guy with big daddy government making the calls on who gets what, when and how much; there's no freedom or power in that.