Pros, Cons, and the Barriers to Implementing a Universal Healthcare System in the United States

Background: The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. Despite that, it also has worse health outcomes than that of several other countries. The United States is also the only wealthy/developed country without universal healthcare. Universal healthcare, also known as a single-payer healthcare system, refers to the concept that the government finances and governs healthcare for most, if not all residents of the country. The United States currently has a multi-payer system, which means that healthcare is financed through various sources such as the public and private sectors. Purpose: The purpose of this is to investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of a universal healthcare system as well as identifying some of the potential barriers towards implementing a universal healthcare system in the United States, based on current, peer-reviewed literature. Methods: Peer-reviewed articles relevant to the topic were collected from databases such as PubMed. PRISMA criteria were used to identify relevant publications after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data regarding health outcomes and healthcare expenses among different countries were compared and analyzed to help determine the effectiveness of universal healthcare. Results: Based on the studies, it can be inferred that the United States would significantly benefit from a universal healthcare system as studies show improved health outcomes as well as reduced healthcare expenditure, partially due to an emphasis on primary and preventative care, thus increasing access to overall care. However, there are also a few major barriers such as political lobbying that have prevented a significant overhaul of the current healthcare system in the United States. Conclusion: Universal healthcare would provide many benefits for the United States; however, political considerations pose a significant barrier that will need to be overcome before universal healthcare is implemented. That being said, there has been an increase in support for universal healthcare among Americans, in which small incremental steps can eventually lead the way there.