General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why are Americans so resistant to Universal Healthcare? [View all]DFW
(54,397 posts)The private insurance companies have huge advertising budgets, and countries that DO have universal health care always have SOME horror stories about excessively long waits to see a physician. Combine the two, and suddenly a huge portions of Americans think that universal health care ALWAYS DOES mean long waits to see a doctor. That scares them, and they don't want it. There are a lot of details left out, but basically I think it's that. Then there is the occasionally false story about countries that supposedly have universal health care when they in fact do not, such as Germany. They don't help, either, since they encourage finger-pointing from the right.
Combine all that with a healthy dose of "I barely get by, why should I pay for someone else?" and you have a vocal, massive, and VERY convinced segment of American society who will fight the very concept tooth and nail--until such a moment as they should need it themselves, that is.