In 2014, around 32 million non-elderly adults were found to be uninsured Key Facts about the Uninsured Population, and according to an article published by the American Journal of Public Health, of these 32 million adults, around 45,000 adults die due to lack of health insurance or underinsurance. For many of these adults (48 percent Key Facts about the Uninsured Population), the reason they do not have health insurance is because it is too expensive. So, why is it that in a country where we are entitled to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” we are not given universal health care? After all, we are all entitled to the same inherit rights, and health insurance protects our life and allows us to seek out this happiness. This statement alone is enough to warrant universal healthcare in the United States, as the very foundation of our nation supports the claim.

The United States of America was founded on the principle that “all men are created equal,” and therefore, despite one’s socioeconomic class, we are all entitled to the same “unalienable rights.” Yet, the USA is one of the only countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that has yet to implement universal healthcare for its citizens. This seems preposterous as the very concept of equality amongst every socioeconomic class originated from the USA. In fact, universal healthcare has already been internationally recognized as a human right and therefore, an unalienable right, through the World Health Assembly Resolution 58.33 — a document that even the USA signed. This document even goes as far as to say that “everyone should have access to health care services and should not suffer financial hardship when obtaining these services.” So why is that the USA, the very country where the principles of equality and human rights were first implemented into government, does not provide the basic human right of universal healthcare? Many of the other countries that offer universal healthcare for their people have often based their government on ours and as such, we, too, should implement these measurements.

Now, how can this problem be fixed? How can we save millions of lives? For me, the answer is actually quite simple: make it a universal right. A right to universal health care would improve public health. Looking at countries like Japan, Spain, Australia and France, we can see how a universal health care system can be extremely beneficial to the people. If we examine the life expectancy of those countries, they are high — surpassing that of the United States. Norway, France, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Australia, Japan and Finland are just a few of the countries that offer universal healthcare under a system known as Single Payer, which covers everyone under a single, publicly financed insurance plan Single-Payer FAQ.

The biggest argument against Single Payer healthcare is that it is viewed as a socialist system — and as we all know, socialism is a “bad” word in the United States. Yet, if you really think about it, there are a vast amount of programs in the United States that were once considered socialist but would not be able to imagine modern life without. The most obvious example is Social Security, which is essential for the lives of many retired citizens. The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program is another such program that has been accepted as part of twenty first century life. Those are just some examples of “socialist-like” organizations in the United States, and I haven’t heard any complaints. Therefore, an argument cannot be based on the fact that government funded health insurance, which is akin to these aforementioned programs, would lead to communism.

The USA also has the highest GDP in the world and so, we have more money readily available to spend on things such as healthcare; yet, countries with lower GDP than ours successfully managed to carry out a universal healthcare plan. Countries with universal healthcare have also driven down the average amount of money spent per person on their medical bill. The differences in the amount of money spent per person on their medical bill is attributed to the fact that most health insurances spend a lot of their money on administrative purposes. According to a study in the American Journal of Public Health, Canada, a country that provides a universal right to health care, spends half as much per capita on health care as the United States, with similar situations happening in other countries such as Great Britain. Another factor that is worthy to take note of is the many different health insurance plans whose rivalries tend to jack up the prices of medical procedures and drugs. However, this would not be an issue if universal healthcare is implemented, as we will all be under one health insurance, thereby exterminating any competition.

As it is now, health insurance within the United States is extremely expensive and this, too, is caused by the competition between health insurances. Today, many employers no longer offer health insurance to their employees (71 percent are self-employed or work for firms that do not offer health benefits) and for those employers that do offer health insurance, many find the coverage they provide unaffordable Key Facts about the Uninsured Population. With universal healthcare, businesses would no longer have to pay for employee health insurance policies, and According to the Council on Foreign Relations, some economists believe the high costs of employee health insurance place US companies at a "competitive disadvantage in the international marketplace."

In today’s world, the cost of living has dramatically increased and so it has become increasingly more difficult for workers to afford health insurance. So how can these people afford to see a doctor when many of them are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, food and utilities?

We are constantly struggling to stay healthy, struggling to afford an expensive health insurance plan and struggling to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. It’s an endless cycle in which many people are finding themselves in today. While you might have not personally experienced it, but try putting yourself in their shoes. Imagine scraping by everyday with just enough money to rent an apartment and eat three meals a day, and you are suddenly is in dire need of medical assistance. There has certainly been cases of this nature, as 27 percent of uninsured adults in 2014 went without needed medical care due to cost Key Facts about the Uninsured Population.