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Free Market Health Care is paradoxical. Healthy people are the highest earners.  Healthy people can afford to pay for medical treatment but do not need it.  Less healthy people need more treatment but can pay less.  The most unfortunate are those born with chronic illnesses or disabilities.  Such patients may in the worst cases never in their lives earn the money they need to pay for medical treatment.  Universal Health Care is seen as compassionate.  It looks after those who through no fault of their own cannot look after themselves.

Free Market Health Care is paradoxical. Healthy people are the highest earners.  Healthy people can afford to pay for medical treatment but do not need it.  Less healthy people need more treatment but can pay less.  The most unfortunate are those born with chronic illnesses or disabilities.  Such patients may in the worst cases never in their lives earn the money they need to pay for medical treatment.  Universal Health Care is seen as compassionate.  It looks after those who through no fault of their own cannot look after themselves.

Most developed countries have instituted various types of universal health care, though most [[conservatives]] say with inadequate results (lengthy waiting times, for example). Cuba is another country with  woefully inadequate socialized health care. In Canada, it is illegal for a doctor to "bill" a patient, but one doctor found many people suffering while waiting months or years for treatment. He sued the government, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, and won (see Dr. [[Jacques Chaoulli]]).

Most developed countries have instituted various types of universal health care, though most American [[conservatives]] say with inadequate results (lengthy waiting times, for example). Cuba is another country with  woefully inadequate socialized health care. In Canada, it is illegal for a doctor to "bill" a patient, but one doctor found many people suffering while waiting months or years for treatment. He sued the government, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, and won (see Dr. [[Jacques Chaoulli]]).

[[France]], [[Germany]], [[Japan]], [[Austria]], [[Belgium]] and [[The Netherlands]] also use the multi-payer system in a style called ''shared responsibility''. Under this scheme workers and employers are required to pay into private, non-profit, government-regulated [[insurance fund]]s. The government covers the cost of the low- and no-income citizens. These insurance funds negotiate strict cost controls with the government and health care providers to keep out-of-pocket costs from skyrocketing. Private insurance can be purchased on top of the insurance fund, to pay for premium services.<ref name="contracosta" />

[[France]], [[Germany]], [[Japan]], [[Austria]], [[Belgium]] and [[The Netherlands]] also use the multi-payer system in a style called ''shared responsibility''. Under this scheme workers and employers are required to pay into private, non-profit, government-regulated [[insurance fund]]s. The government covers the cost of the low- and no-income citizens. These insurance funds negotiate strict cost controls with the government and health care providers to keep out-of-pocket costs from skyrocketing. Private insurance can be purchased on top of the insurance fund, to pay for premium services.<ref name="contracosta" />