U.S. the only developed country in the world without universal healthcare

Algeria, Botswana, Bhutan, India, Croatia, Singapore, Taiwan and more than 51 other developed countries offer single-payer (read: public) healthcare to their citizens. Not ranked among them? The United States.

When President Trump announced his desire to repeal The Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as “Obamacare”) on March 3rd, 2017, Trump’s opposition and even his voters, were rightfully appalled.

For those unfamiliar with the Affordable Care Act, the ACA gives employers an Insurance Mandate for employees and their families. When the ACA was passed by Congress seven years ago, it was indeed a groundbreaking achievement for the Obama Administration and it allowed tens of millions of people without healthcare to be covered for the first time.

President Trump’s decision to repeal the ACA will put the United States squarely back where it was before: the only developed nation in the world that does not offer free public healthcare to its citizens.

Over 58 other countries in the world offer government funded healthcare including France, which offers citizens “Assurance Maladie” and employers can also offer an Insurance Mandate to also care for their employees.

While the benefits of a government funded public healthcare service seem to outrun the cons, conservative and libertarian leaning citizens feel wary about expanding the government in such a way and fear that their tax dollars will not benefit the overall good of the nation and that there will be abuse of the system. Meanwhile, major pharmaceutical companies worry that due to healthcare being a publicly funded service rather than privately owned the sales and the production of new drugs will be reduced.

It should be noted that insurance premiums and the cost of pharmaceutical drugs in the United States have risen drastically. The once affordable EpiPen was sold for between $34-$75 from 2007 to 2014, but after major generic drug company Mylan obtained the rights to the EpiPen it increased the out-of-pocket sales price dramatically, selling it for between $94 to $609. Due to a major public outcry, Mylan then reduced the price to $300.

While the Speaker for the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, did come up with the GOP Healthcare Plan, Ryan’s repeal would also benefit the 400 richest households with an average tax cut of $7 million each. Needless to say, millions of enraged citizens took to Twitter to express their anger. Using the hashtag, #SaveACA, citizens tweeted at both Ryan and Trump for their seemingly reckless actions.

It seems the only citizens comfortable with President Trump’s decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act are the top %1.