Why Universal Health Care Could be a Conservative Republican's Dream

By Aldene Fredenburg

Republicans, conservative Republicans in particular, have been notoriously resistant to the idea of universal health care coverage at least since the days of Harry Truman.

But maybe it's time for the Republican Party to take another look at universal health care. A system funded and operated at the federal level could have a number of effects:

· A federal system set up along the lines of Medicare or the Veterans Administration system could control health care costs by limiting payment for services.

· A tax-funded system could take the burden of health care costs off the backs of American businesses by funding it through deductions similar to the current social security system. With deductions divided equally between the worker and the business or paid solely by the employee, this, combined with cost-control methods, could represent a substantial savings over what businesses are paying now.

· Small businesses that cannot now offer competitive health care packages could compete with larger corporations for highly skilled employees, resulting in a tremendous opportunity for growth among these small companies.

· Money freed up from current privately funded health care programs could be used to offer raises to employees and to expand business.

· Providing access to health care to self-employed individuals could expand the pool of workers choosing to work on a freelance basis. This would result in cost savings to companies that decide to contract with freelancers rather than hire employees who expect a benefits package.

· Since all necessary medical costs will be covered routinely by the federal program for all citizens, malpractice and injury lawsuits for medical expenses could drop substantially.

Before Republicans reject proposals for universal health care, they need to examine the possible effects of a federally funded system. They might find that universal health care is both fiscally responsible and pro-business.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics.