Universal health care is not socialized medicine. I repeat, universal health care is not socialized medicine. Whenever this topic is brought up, conversation inevitably leads to ridiculous horror stories about Canadian waiting lists. While one can certainly attack that argument as anecdotal and emotional, the biggest problem is that Canada does not represent the best in health care, nor even the norm.

Canada is a straw man that keeps opponents from debating the merits of a system that can benefit all while maintaining our medical economy.

As much as it hurts to admit it, France is setting the standard in quality, affordable health care. According to the World Health Organization’s 2000 World Health Report, France’s population spends $2,125 per capita on health care compared to the United States’ $3,724, and its people enjoy three more healthy years than we do. France spends less of its GDP on health care (9.8 percent compared to 13.7 percent), and amazingly, its citizens receive less funding from the government ($1,634 instead of $1,643).

Longer lives, healthier lives, smaller out-of-pocket expenses and less spending by the government — what kind of liberal pipe dream is this? It’s called national health insurance. It allows private and public hospitals to compete on an even playing field, with the government only getting involved to make sure that everyone can afford to receive the medical services that most appeal to them. In France, it is part of their Social Security system, which applies to everyone, and generally covers 70 percent to 85 percent of all medical fees. The remainder is usually covered by optional private supplementary insurance, and can be waived for the poor.

The system here in the states has its own advantages. The United States was rated No. 1 in health care responsiveness, which combines respect given to patients, promptness of attention, quality of basic amenities, access to social support networks and choice of care provider.

We have world-renowned specialists in all areas of medicine. When wealthy foreigners have a serious medical problem, they almost invariably come here — when I interned at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., it was treating a sultan or prince every other week.

But this expertise has not been parlayed into better health care for the majority of Americans. We spend the most per capita, and yet are ranked 37th in the world. More than 40 million people lacked health insurance for some duration during 2003. While other countries have recognized the need to balance the profit motivation with the necessity of a healthy population, the United States has resisted even considering this balance for anyone but the elderly.

The consequences of this are profound.

With so many citizens lacking health insurance, and with health care cost increases being rivaled only by tuition rates, many Americans avoid treatment for ailments that are not life threatening. Sometimes, though, these conditions, when left untreated, can develop into serious health problems later in life.

By that point in their lives, most people do have health insurance, so the increased cost is reflected in the premiums the insured pay. Those costs make it more difficult for the uninsured to afford insurance, and thus the circle of life is complete. The No. 1 problem with the U.S. health system is how it discourages preventive medicine, thus raising costs for everyone.

Health maintenance organizations were established in the 1970s to address this problem — but they don’t. The average American now changes health providers every three years, which means that in most cases it doesn’t serve HMOs to pay for preventive medicine when the costs of not paying will be borne by someone else.

The short-term gains of the private health insurance system do not most benefit the population of the United States. Well, maybe a small portion of it.

The 2000 average compensation for the highest-paid executives of the ten largest for-profit health plans, not even including unexercised stock options, was $11.7 million.

There are positives and negatives to all health care systems. There just happen to be a lot more positives for a universal health care system. A transition to such a system will take time, but it will be worth it.

Drew Miller is a senior in computer science from Pine Island, Minn. He is a member of the ISU Democrats.