this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2024
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Ok, so I completely support universal healthcare. However, it still is true that you are paying for "someone else's healthcare". How?
Let's assume that there's a flat tax percentage - 30% for all. (Actually most developed countries have progressive tax systems, but let's ignore that for now). The more your income, the more tax you pay. Therefore, some people pay more tax than others. This means, that some people contribute more to fund the healthcare system compared to others.
Some people have pre-existing conditions. Some people may just be unhealthy due to bad lifestyle choices. I might be incredibly fit. The probability of me falling sick would be very less. If there were a multi payer healthcare system, then perhaps I might not need to spend much money on healthcare. A universal single payer system might be forcing me to pay more for others' healthcare. Therefore, saying that I'm paying for someone else's healthcare isn't inaccurate.
That being said, healthcare is a human right. Every human, regardless of financial status deserves timely access to good healthcare. That's why I support it.
Yeah but that's ALREADY how it works. With private insurance some people pay their premium month after month after month and make no claims. Some people get paid out more than they'll ever pay in. That's how insurance works. Plus with private insurance toss in shareholder profits and millions of dollars in quirky commercials off the top of that.
Insurance premiums aren't decided by my income. They are decided by my probability of needing the coverage offered. Therefore, if I am rich, I end up paying a smaller percentage of my income on insurance premiums for the same coverage compared to a poor person.
Single payer universal healthcare makes healthcare more expensive for rich people and cheaper for poor people. I'm not saying that's bad ofc.
This is true for any real insurance, but not health insurance. Health Insurance premiums are decided by your employer, someone who has no reason to even be involved. It's entirely based on how much "benefit" they think they need to give you compared to their peers.