Topic for Week 10 -- Universal Healthcare and Healthcare Reform
Question: Do you think private general healthcare providers could still have success if universal healthcare was implemented?
Topic for Week 10 -- Universal Healthcare and Healthcare Reform
Question: Do you think private general healthcare providers could still have success if universal healthcare was implemented?
I think private healthcare providers would still be able to succeed under universal healthcare. It could be a little more challenging but I think it's possible. Even with universal healthcare there will be individuals who would rather go to a private provider than the governmental one, and will do so if they have the money available. These people would support the private healthcare providers. Additionally, private providers would have competition between themselves because they will be trying to get the wealthier individuals who use private providers to come to them versus someone else.
This would depend on both your definition of success and system. People also look for alternatives if they are not satisfied with the options presented to them. In a market economy, this means changing the parties (in the legal since) you do business with. However, when options are restricted, people will find alternatives. For instance, many Canadians, where private healthcare is illegal, seek private treatment in the United States when they are sufficiently dissatisfied with the options provided for them. Furthermore, private healthcare exists in the UK; patients are more likely to use private services here when healthcare is rationed. In fact, I would argue the current US system is a good example of how private healthcare would work; the business of healthcare will adapt to the incentives. The questions is who sets them: the market or politics.