Proposal: Researching the Development of Free Universal Healthcare

This research proposal investigates the potential development of a free universal healthcare system, addressing the growing demand for quality and affordable healthcare. It highlights the disparities in current healthcare systems, where access is often determined by wealth, and advocates for a universal approach to ensure equitable healthcare services for all citizens. The proposal draws on the World Health Organization's declaration of healthcare as a fundamental human right, emphasizing the need for accessible, effective, and quality medical services without imposing financial burdens on individuals. It examines various models of universal healthcare adopted by countries worldwide, including single-payer, two-tier, and insurance mandate systems, and proposes a research methodology using both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the feasibility and impact of implementing a free universal healthcare system. Ultimately, the research aims to contribute to the understanding of whether healthcare should be a free service provided to all citizens, promoting a healthier and more equitable society.

Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 1
Research Proposal on Development of Free Universal Healthcare
Name
Institution

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Introduction
The rapid growth in demand for quality healthcare globally has increased concerns over
the affordability and access to quality health care services. Most economies both developed and
developing ones have continued to incur increased medical expenses in their efforts to offer
quality health care. However, most healthcare systems are discriminative in many aspects and
hence not equitable regarding service provision. The wealthy people in society can acquire
quality health care while vulnerable groups or poor people experience poor health care services.
In such a scenario it is challenging to grow and maintain a healthy nation since the majority of
the populations cannot access these health care services (Ramke et al., 2017). The rapid growth
of chronic diseases has contributed to increased healthcare expenditure with those unable to
access quality health care losing their lives. There is, therefore, a need to develop a universal
health care system that will enable or grant an opportunity to residents or citizens to access
quality health care. This study provides the development of a research proposal that will
contribute to an increased understanding of whether health care should be offered for free of the
residents or citizens should pay for their treatment.
Background for the Research Proposal
Healthcare according to the World Health Organization 1948 constitution was declared to
be a fundamental human right. The constitution advocated for the provision of a Universal health
care system that will provide access to essential, quality and useful health care services to all
people. Universal healthcare is therefore meant to ensure that all people and communities have
access or can use the preventive, rehabilitative, curative as well as other medical services in an
effective, sufficient and quality manner. The universal health care is also aimed at ensuring that

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the provider of health care services does not expose the users of the services to financial burdens
or hardships (Ramke et al., 2017). Therefore the demand for universal health care began since
the year 1948 as countries seek to improve the quality of health care for its citizens. However, it
is critical to understand that most of the universal health care is funded by the general income
taxes and therefore the cost of providing quality healthcare contributes to increased expenses for
the government. The big question would be, if the health care is funded through income taxes
why would the government not provide for quality health care to all citizens? Why would the
same government require the citizens to pay for health services? Paying for health care and taxes
to the government would be increasing financial burden to the users of the health care. It is the
responsibility therefore of any government to develop strategies that will ensure that its citizens
can access free health care services for most of their primary health care needs.
Over 30 countries including Norway, Singapore, Israel, and Hong Kong among others
globally have established a universal health care system for their citizens. More states are also
joining the list with the United States undergoing pressure from its citizens to develop a capable,
comprehensive health care system for its citizens apart from the Obama care which was
established and has also received political criticisms since the year 2014 (Berwick, Snair &
Nishtar, 2018). However, building universal health care provides an opportunity for lowering the
health costs of an economy. This is because the government unlike the private sector which is
focused on their profitability levels can offer price controls of medical services through increased
negotiations with suppliers and services providers as well as through regulations. The
development of a universal health care system also provides an opportunity for the government
to force the hospitals to provide health service of the same standard to all people without
discrimination. Most of the universal healthcare systems which have been adopted by countries

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are in three different modes and help us understand how the government can offer free health
care services to its citizens. Universal health care is provided through a single player whereby,
the government, in this case, provides health care insurance to all citizens and it’s responsible for
paying all the health care expenses for both public and private healthcare facilities (Berwick,
Snair & Nishtar, 2018). The government can also adopt a two-tier system whereby, it provides
insurance cover for all residents as well as giving them an opportunity to purchase additional
voluntary health insurances. Lastly, the government can also adopt an insurance mandate system
where it mandates its citizens to acquire or buy insurance voluntarily from the public, private or
nonprofit insurers but barriers the insurers from rejecting some individuals. The development of
a universal health care system cuts across all the health-related sustainable development goals for
any economy according to the World Health organization 1948 constitution.
Thesis Statement
Health care services should be provided for free to all citizens in an economy as this will
bring hope to the nation for better, standard and quality health care and protection for the world’s
most vulnerable individuals, communities or societies.
Research Methodology
To establish the need for free health care services through a universal health care system,
the research will employ the use of both qualitative and quantitative data. Primary data collection
will be done through the use of the Questionnaire as well as through the use of interviews.
Secondary data will be collected through the use of pre-existing data on success and challenges
of universal health care systems from journal resources and archives collected from countries
which have operational universal health care systems. The secondary data will be used to

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enhance the results of the findings of the primary data sources. The target population will be the
citizens who will express their views and concerns on health care systems and services in the
country. The research will also involve population sample from the national health department
and revenue and budgeting team that will provide useful insights on how this can be achieved by
evaluating both implicit and explicit costs of establishing a free universal health care system for
its citizens.

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References
Berwick, D., Snair, M., & Nishtar, S. (2018). Crossing the Global Health Care Quality Chasm: A
Key Component of Universal Health Coverage. JAMA.
Ramke, J., Gilbert, C. E., Lee, A. C., Ackland, P., Limburg, H., & Foster, A. (2017). Effective
cataract surgical coverage: An indicator for measuring quality-of-care in the context of
Universal Health Coverage. PloS one, 12(3), e0172342.