| A popular topic often debated in political races and | | | | place most private providers out of business. |
| amongst health care providers is the need for | | | | The loss of private EMS services would require |
| nationalized medical coverage (socialized medicine). | | | | state and local governments to pick up the slack |
| Various other countries like Canada, England and | | | | and provide the service at the cost of the tax |
| Australia utilize such services. A popular argument | | | | payers. This of course would significantly increase |
| for nationalized health care is availability of | | | | income and property taxes to pay for the |
| insurance for all citizens regardless of their financial | | | | insurance and the services provided in place of |
| situation. On the surface, the idea sounds | | | | private medical operations. |
| reasonable, but in a nation run by private | | | | Sure, having more government jobs could result |
| enterprise it can cause more problems then it's | | | | in retirement plans and good benefits, but the |
| worth. | | | | amount of jobs available could rapidly decrease. |
| Insurance coverage provided by both the state | | | | Budget cuts and increasing cost of doing business |
| and federal government has proven itself to be | | | | would either result in raising taxes or cutting jobs. |
| inadequate and bad for business. As it already | | | | Once government bureaucracy comes into play, |
| stands government funded health insurance | | | | you can be assured that the number of |
| reimburses pennies on the dollar for both | | | | ambulances on the streets will be decline. Local |
| emergency and non-emergency medical care. | | | | police agencies are a prime example. It is hard to |
| Many hospitals, private doctors offices, and | | | | find a police department that claims to have |
| medical facilities are turning away these patients | | | | adequate staffing. Socialized medicine would leave |
| because of a significant lack of compensation. | | | | EMS agencies in the exact same situation. |
| EMS providers are in a bad position as they don't | | | | Our health care system in the United States is far |
| have the option of turning away non-payers or | | | | from perfect. Abuse on the system, lawsuits and |
| government-funded payers. This leaves | | | | uninsured patients are constantly increasing the |
| ambulance services and emergency departments | | | | cost to do provide medical care. Work needs to |
| relying on private insurance companies to make | | | | be done to resolve this issue, but not at the |
| up for the significant losses cause by | | | | expense of the tax payers. |
| government-funded insurance. Switching to a | | | | If you have any questions or comments, please |
| nationalized health care plan would be sure to | | | | feel free to e-mail me. |