I'm more concerned about the economic effects of universal public healthcare than the SOCIALISM/NO U arguments that go around here (nowadays anyway).
Well it's really simple.
The health care business funding becomes part of government budget (where ever you guys get it from, most countries have taxes, some borrow credit from China, it's up to you).
The actual health care sector continues functioning much like before, but instead of treatments being paid mainly by the patients and by extension insurance companies, the treatment costs come for State's coffers.
You could say that this is a bad thing because the buying power decreases because of increased income/value added tax, discourages working, aand so on. But on the other hand, people don't need to pay for health insurance (which from what I've heard isn't exactly a certified way to get treatment anyway, if your health problem doesn't happen to be covered in the insurance policy).
In short term, yes, there may be some reduction in consumer buying power. In the long term, however, you have to factor in quality of life, increased public health, subsequent increased tax revenue since healthy people tend to be more productive, etc. etc.
Frankly, from an outsider's view it's
appalling that people there consider it normal to make a commercial business out of such a fundamental thing as healthcare.
And I've got too many friends who really, really need it who would benefit very, very much by the policy to be against it.
Haters gonna hate...
