Is Universal Healthcare as good as it sounds?

Although this may be slightly off-topic, this trip really made me reflect on how having Universal Healthcare may not be as good as it seems, especially for those with disabilities. The speaker of Napier University spoke about some of the negatives aspects of universal health care, as individuals with disabilities are unlikely to receive any form of services, such as ABA therapy, until they begin primary school. This information shocked me as i believe it is important to implement behavioral therapy for Individuals with autism as early as possible. The speaker at Number 6 also mentioned that just getting an appointment for a diagnosis for a disability can take years to happen. I was appalled when the speaker mentioned a story of a client who has been begging their doctor for a diagnosis for years and was unable to receive services for a majority of their life. Prior to this trip, I was all for having Universal Health Care as I watched some of my favorite presidential candidates speak upon this topic the during the democratic debate. Although the idea of Universal Healthcare seems great, as I believe healthcare should be a right, not a privilege, I can’t help but wonder how this can negatively impact services for those with disabilities. Research has shown that an early diagnosis and services can lead to better outcomes later in life. Although our current healthcare system is FAR from perfect and needs a lot of work, I fear that implementing universal healthcare can take away from the quality of services that is necessary for healthy development throughout the lifespan.

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