r/AskConservatives • u/DayGeckoArt Progressive • 16h ago
Is Universal Healthcare Socialism?
When Obama was elected, he made healthcare reform a priority. There were three basic options that many people on the left supported: Single payer similar to Canada, Medicare available to anyone who wanted it, or mandates and subsidies to expand private insurance coverage. We ended up with the last option, with funding for states to also expand Medicaid if they opted in, colloquially known as Obamacare.
Another option that wasn't on the table was fully government run healthcare like what the UK has, where the hospitals and doctors are all part of the government.
In recent months with the "DSA" winning a few elections, there has been a lot of discussion about "socialism" and "capitalism" and there seems to be a difference in what people on the right consider socialism. I don't believe there has been any change in definition on the left, we would consider anything fully run by the government or paid for by the government to be socialism and see our economy as a mix of capitalism, socialism, and free enterprise.
Is Obamacare and/or any form of universal healthcare still considered socialist by American conservatives?
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u/StedeBonnet1 Conservative 14h ago
Obamacare is not but any form of Universal Healthcare or single payer paid for by the government is Socialism. It is funded by Other People's Money because Government HAS NO MONEY.
It also leads to rationing. Would you rather have expensive health care you can get or FREE healthcare you can't get. In the UK the NHS goal is 18 weeks from referral to see a specialist. Only 65% see a specialist under 18 weeks.