A much debated issue these days is whether citizens should take out private health insurance or not. In this essay, I will argue that people who can afford it should be privately insured, but free medical care must be made available for those too poor to do so.
The most important reason for encouraging people to take out private health insurance is the cost to the government. Free health coverage for people who are able to pay for it is a waste of public money. Of course, people will only pay health insurance premiums if they know that they are getting good value for their money. If they get sick, they will pay little or nothing at all. In addition, the privately insured are entitled to special benefits such as having the choice of their own doctors, and being able to avoid long waiting lists for hospital beds.
On the other hand, those who really cannot afford to pay private insurance premiums, which are often very high, should still be entitled as citizens to the best medical care available. They cannot be expected to pay their own medical bills. However, if they are working, they should still pay a percentage of their wages as a tax which pays towards the cost of providing free medical services.
In conclusion, I think most people should privately insure their health. But it is unreasonable to suppose that all citizens can afford it. Therefore, a safety net in the form of a basic free health care system must exist for the very poor and the unemployed.