• Citizens in the United States often lament at the lack of a universal health care system. Advocates of the system argue that universal health care will reduce the amount of deaths caused by lack of treatment due to lack of health insurance. Other citizens believe a universal system will reduce health insurance costs and make it readily available to people across the county. As with any debate, a look at both the pros and cons is necessary.
  
  

Higher Taxes or Spending Cuts to Key Programs

• Opponents of a universal health care system point out that the funding for the system must come from somewhere; it will not be free. Whenever government needs to find money for a program, the first source comes from taxing the citizens. A universal health care system may result in higher taxes across the board in order to provide funding to the program. If taxes are not used, the government may need to resort to cutting funding in other areas, including education, defense or social services.
  
  

Sustainability Issues

• Even if adequate funding is provided in the early onset of a universal health care system, questions still arise as to how well the program could sustain itself. According to Family Doctor Magazine, opponents of the universal health care system point out that countries with such a program in place (such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany) are increasingly turning to the private sector to relieve financial burdens caused by the program. The Tribune Magazine, a publication in the United Kingdom, further confirms these fears in a recent article. According to "The NHS is in the danger zone", an article published on November 1, 2010, England's National Health Service (NHS) must find 20 million British pounds worth of cost savings by 2014 to avoid financial trouble. The same sustainability issues could arise if the U.S. implements a universal health care system.
  
  

Loss of Choice and "Red Tape"

• Criticisms also arise as to the amount of choice a patient will have in choosing services and the amount of red tape required to seek health care in a universal system. Government, by nature, is a slow-moving beast and often many steps are required to get simple tasks done. According to Balanced Politics, many government agencies, such as Fannie and Freddie Mac and the Social Security Administration are slow to act and terrible at using every dollar efficiently. Further, patients may be required to seek health care from specific doctors in the area; this reduces a patient's freedom of health care.