Almost 20% of American citizens have no health insurance. Even more citizens are underinsured. As a result, large numbers of Americans receive very little or no health care. A large number of these citizens are women and children. Many of those who are uninsured are hard-working families who simply don't have enough income to afford coverage, but earn too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal, the state's health care provider. In a society like ours, it is a shame not to guarantee what I believe should be a fundamental human right to all our citizens equally. The quality or standard of healthcare should be an inalienable right afforded to all people, not a privilege of the few. Money should not be what determines who should live in good health while others suffer in pain and anguish. Lack of healthcare equality is one of the major social inequalities in society today. A single-payer healthcare system would be a huge step toward leveling the playing field for all. A single-payer system is one in which a single entity provides and pays for everyone's healthcare needs. Providing universal and uniform healthcare to all, regardless of social standing or race, can only advance our civilization. The common good is best achieved by serving everyone. However, today money dictates the rules when it comes to healthcare in the United States. Therefore, as healthcare continues to thrive and profit from its customers, a single payer system can never exist. Insurance companies, lawyers, agents, medical suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and even hospitals all compete for profits ruthlessly. They consume more than a third of the gross domestic product in the United States. Yet, people are constantly… middle of paper… spending on medical care that you will spend in the last months of your life. If other nations can provide universal healthcare to their citizens, why can't we? Works Cited “Should the Government Provide Free Universal Health Care to All Americans?” BalancedPolitics.org. Np, nd Web. February 19, 2013. “Right to Health Care ProCon.org.” Right to Health Care ProCon.org. Np, nd Web. February 19, 2013. “Universal Health Care.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, February 17, 2013. Web. February 19, 2013. “Five Arguments for Universal Health Care Democrats Should Support.” The weeklies. Np, nd Web. 19 February. 2013. .