Health insurance is second nature to many of us. We take that blue and white card, put it in our wallet, and forget about it until we get sick or injured. When that happens, there it is, cushioning our fall like the extra padding provided to cushion our wallets. However, this is not the case for everyone. Many Americans have no cushion to fall back on, no blue-and-white card to show in the emergency room when they have an unexpected health problem. No HMO with an affordable copay amount when your son or daughter develops an ear infection. Medicines and other healthcare services are expensive without these important conveniences that many people lack. These people have “fallen by the wayside” in the U.S. healthcare system for years, leaving many citizens wondering: Why would our country do this to us? Our great and powerful nation, the United States, a country that much of the world sees as the most developed nation in the world, is the only industrialized country that does not provide its citizens with universal healthcare, according to a report by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA 1). Since we are a capitalist economy, perhaps the government believes it is the people's duty to make sure they are taken care of. This makes sense, doesn't it? We are all intelligent individuals; we can make decisions and take action for ourselves. But what can individuals do when the cost of insurance and health care is too high to handle? In the United States, the answer is nothing. A 2002 census released by the Office of Public Information showed that there are 41.2 million Americans who do not have health insurance (Bergman). That equates to an astonishing 14.6% of the population, up from… middle of the paper… Without expensive health insurance, Americans are struggling. If they can't afford health insurance, they definitely can't afford the medical expenses that will fall on them if they are hospitalized. Every other country in the world that is on par with America in industry and development offers universal healthcare to its citizens. Some Americans are worried about rising taxes if the government offers guaranteed health care to everyone. Insurance companies will also suffer. But the sacrifice is more than worth it. America was founded on the basis of freedom for all. Shouldn't we all, regardless of income, be free to enjoy all the years of health we deserve? Sources Cited National Rural Health Association http://www.apa.org/rural/report99.html Lardie, Diane Universal Healthcare Action Network http:/ /www.uhcan.org/