In pretty much any other nation on God’s green Earth, healthcare is a straightforward issue. However, in the United States, it’s a topic that divides, fractures, and polarizes the population into warring factions: those for access to free healthcare and those adamantly opposed to it.
Well, here at Bored Panda, we believe that access to free healthcare makes a lot of sense. Meanwhile, the current system is incredibly bureaucratic and wasteful according to the latest stats and ought to be improved. How bad is the situation? Well, around 760 billion dollars go to absolute waste each year. However, some Americans are stubbornly against free healthcare and overhauling the system.
Why? While there are some serious arguments here and there, we decided that it’s time that we took a gander at the most ridiculous reasons that people have said ‘no’ to something that ought to be a basic part of life. Scroll on down and upvote your fave pics. Be sure to let us know what you think the pros and cons of free healthcare are, dear Pandas—we always value a well-argued opinion.
Dr. Andrew Carroll from Arizona, has some experience dealing with healthcare insurance companies and fighting for what’s best for his patients. Bored Panda previously wrote about how he broke down in tears when a company refused to provide one of his patients a CT chest scan and contacted him again to go even further in-depth about the system in the US.
#1 An Ambulance Is Not A Taxi
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#2 Apparently Canada’s Healthcare Is Bad
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#3 “Being Poor Is A Choice If Everyone Worked We Wouldn’t Even Need ‘Free’ Healthcare”
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According to Dr. Carroll, there are clear financial incentives for the companies that provide healthcare insurance to keep the system, with its high administrative costs, as it is. “It will be very difficult to reduce the administrative costs without overhauling the payment system altogether,” he explained that even small step-by-step changes would be hard to push through.
Dr. Carroll was very candid about healthcare insurance providers and how it’s not in their interest to do what’s best for American patients. “Unfortunately, these payers tend not to have altruistic intentions towards their members. They cater to the advantage of the employers paying for the benefits, who want to try and spend the least amount of money they can.”
He continued: “Employers that pay for benefits will need to demand more of the companies providing the benefits or patients will need to file class-action lawsuits to demand that benefits due to them are not unduly restricted, as they are today.”
#4 But We Can Pick Whatever Doctor Or Healthcare Insurer We Want! We Win
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#5 “Healthcare Isn’t A Human Right”
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#6 Healthcare Is Governmental Slavery
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The US spends huge amounts of money on healthcare, but a whopping quarter of the costs are administrative. This means that customers pay a lot, but far from every penny actually ends up helping them directly. There’s a lot of waste in the system and a lot of fat that needs to be cut.
What’s more, hospitals in the US are consolidated. This means less competition, meaning there’s little to no motivation to actually ensure lower prices for patients. If somebody can charge more and the customer has no other choice, why lower the price? (Well, apart from empathy, I mean?)
#7 “Healthcare Is Not A Basic Right – And I’m Concerned That Anyone’s Kids Assume They Have The Right To Demand Someone Else Finance Their Healthcare”
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#8 It’s A Charity Handout
#9 Won’t People Just Hurt Themselves On Purpose?
Despite often boasting about being the bastion of freedom and being the best, the US is woefully struggling along with its healthcare system. The World Health Organization ranks it as the 37th best in the entire world. It doesn’t matter how many amazing doctors and how much cutting-edge tech you have if you can’t help people due to the system in place.
The US spends more of its national income on healthcare than other developed OECD countries and spends more per person than other rich nations. However, this level of spending doesn’t translate to better care.
#10 What’s Next, Free Medicine?
#11 It’s Crappy In Canada
#12 Free Refills On Burns
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Where you live in the US and what type of insurance coverage you have (private vs. public) affect your wait times, too. So you can expect to wait in line to see a doctor even if you think you’re paying top-dollar prices for top-dollar coverage. However, 66 percent of all Americans are afraid that they won’t be able to afford medical care in 2021.
In a couple of earlier interviews, Bored Panda spoke about US healthcare with Tumblr user Avilocirapter (who was paying for a top-tier insurance plan), as well as Dr. Carroll from Arizona (who burst into tears when an insurance company “denied a CT Chest on a young woman with post-Covid syndrome”).
#13 “Avoid Situations In Which You May Need The Hospital”, In A List Of Solutions To Not Pay Healthcare Too Much
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#14 “Still Better Than Places With Free Healthcare”
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#15 Ask Ur Hero How Finland Is Doing During This Wuhan Virus. Their ‘Free’ Healthcare Is Failing And Bankrupting Their Country
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Avilociraptor explained that, in their opinion, the private insurance model destroyed the doctor-patient relationship and reduced the autonomy that both patients and providers had. “Nurses are overworked and underpaid, and yet we demonize them when they strike to provide safer conditions for themselves and their patients.”
The solution? According to Avilociraptor, Americans have to “regularly write” to their government representatives and demand change.
#16 When You’d Rather Go Bankrupt Than Go To Another Country For Better Healthcare. Because America
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#17 Free Healthcare Is Why Italy And Spain Have Thousands Dying Everyday From Coronavirus
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#18 2nd Amendment vs. Universal Healthcare
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Meanwhile, Dr. Carroll previously told us that, in the United States, the insurance company is the payer for a patient’s care, so they’re “heavily involved in the provision of that care.” He said: “Their job is not to pay for healthcare but avoid paying for healthcare. It is a terrible system.”
#19 Imagine Having To Wait Months For Healthcare Because You Live Somewhere That Has Government Run Healthcare
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#20 I Should Be Able To Opt Out Of Insurance If I Want…with Universal Healthcare I Lose That Freedom Of Choice
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#21 “Healthcare Is Not A Basic Human Right”
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Dr. Carroll also opened up about the hardships that healthcare professionals like him face in the line of duty. “We are trained very early, almost like soldiers, to work hard and long hours, deal with extremely stressful conditions, and work through the emotional turmoil of death, debility, and the effect those things have on the patient and their families.”
#22 “You Can Get Free Healthcare Right Now Join The Army”
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#23 Free Healthcare Doesn’t Work And It’s A Failing System In Almost Every Country
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#24 Healthcare Is Not A Right In ‘Merica
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However, Dr. Carroll can’t imagine doing anything else. Being a doctor, helping people, is his calling. “I love what I do because I could not see myself doing anything else. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 5, since I myself had a major medical issue.”
#25 “Has Monumentally Contributed More To Mankind Than All Those Noted Combined”
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#26 Why Use It If You Can’t Afford It?
#27 Not Sure It Works This Way
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He continued: “I remember the care and compassion my doctors when I was that age showed me, and helped me get through my very tough time. I wanted to do that for others, and so far I think I have done so. Insurance companies make it difficult though, and nearly force cold, inhumane, and compassionless rules on patients when they are most vulnerable.”
#28 Lmaooo
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#29 “Healthcare Is Not A Right, Unless You Feel Like Slavery Is Ok”
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#30 “Better Than The Free Healthcare […] Ours Is Expensive, Not Crap”
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Plenty of Americans who are against free healthcare have a mindset that’s full-on ‘the strong survive, the weak perish’ which would be useful in a post-apocalyptic world, not when we’re all supposed to be civilized and aiming for longer, higher-quality living. And it’s a tad ironic that a country that is so full of charitable, warm, friendly people also has to deal with a cold, dehumanizing, penny-pinching healthcare system.
#31 “There Healthcare Is So Good That They Rely On The Us For Actual Medicines Lol”
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#32 Healthcare Shouldn’t Be Free For Everyone
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#33 Lmao What Type Of Healthcare Does Iran Have? They Still Use Voodoo So They Should Shut The Hell Up
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#34 “(Us) Healthcare & Medical Infrastructure Is Truly World Class & We Are Much Better Prepared”
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#35 No It Isn’t, “Free” Healthcare Does Not Get Into The Concept Of A Human Right
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#36 But Your Doctors Are Imbecile
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#37 “I’ll Pay My Healthcare And Others Can Pay Theirs If They Can’t That’s Unfortunate”
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#38 “Your People (British) Literally Come To My Country (USA) To Get Better Healthcare” From Ig
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#39 “Other Countries Can Have Free Healthcare Because They Let The Us Be There Military For Them”
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#40 Wait Until You Find Out Waiting In Line For 11 Hours To Vote Is Absolutely Wonderful Compared To The Amount Of Time People Wait To See A Doctor In Countries With Socialized Healthcare
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#41 Canada Only Has Free Healthcare Because Of The Us
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#42 American Talking About Free Healthcare
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#43 “If You Can’t Take Care Of Yourself Than I Shouldn’t Be Forced To Pay For Your Healthcare”
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#44 Gimme That Fat TV!
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#45 Other Countries Have Zero Choice
#46 “My Grandfather Went To France In 1944. Germans In Control And Not Offering Doc Visits. He And Other American Servicemen Liberated The Country” On A Tweet Where An American Man Praises The French Healthcare System
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#47 “Wealthy Brits Fly To The Us For Critical Care Because We Have The Best Healthcare In The World”
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#48 “So You’re Saying Their Healthcare Is No Better Than Ours?”
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#49 I Shouldn’t Have To Pay For You Healthcare, And You Shouldn’t Have To Pay For Mine
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#50 “You’re Welcome American Citizens Literally Pay For The Rest Of The Worlds Healthcare.” On A Tweet About Canada
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#51 “Most Other Countries Come To America For Healthcare”
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#52 “There Is No Money, To Cover Universal Healthcare. No Money In The Whole Wide World Would Cover It”
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#53 “Everyone Gets Free Healthcare Because It’s A Right. Then Everyone Gets A Free Firearm. Because That’s Definitely A Right”
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#54 “No, Universal Healthcare Is Pretty Fucking Aids. I Would Prefer Having A Large Military Than Having To Pay For Everybody’s Oxy Addiction”
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#55 Sas: Anyone That Believes Government Run Healthcare Is Superior Is An Idiot
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#56 In A Video Explaining Why American Healthcare Is So Expensive
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#57 Found On Quora: “Don’t Talk About Healthcare, That’s Not Sometimes That Defines The Greatness Of A Country”
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#58 Apparently Healthcare Workers Are Unpaid Slaves In Countries With Universal Healthcare
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#59 The Us Is The Reason Why Universal Healthcare Works
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#60 “If Your Leg Is Broken In Europe – You’re Done”
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#61 Ah Yes UK Healthcare Is Bad Because It Helps Poor People, ‘Who Contribute The Least To Society’
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#62 “I Wonder If The Rest Of The World Would Have Universal Healthcare If They Had To Pay For Their Own Defense”
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#63 “No, In France, It Costs A Lifetime And A Country Of Taxes.” On A Discussion About Ingame Healthcare Costs In Stardew Valley
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#64 Paying For Affordable Healthcare Is The Same As Paying For A Border Wall
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#65 Healthcare Is Robbery!!!
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#66 We Have To Fund The Innovation That The Socialist Healthcare Systems Of The World Leach On
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#67 Healthcare Is A Privilege Afforded By The Free Market!
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#68 “Britain Would Be A Superpower If You Invested All That Healthcare Money Into The Military”
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#69 “Still Better And Better Healthcare Than You”
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#70 “You’re Actually Just Promoting That Even More White People Have Access To Healthcare.”
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#71 “Greetings For The West Where We Find Your Military So You Can Afford Free Healthcare.” – Found Under An Article About A Girl Funding Her Own Brain Surgery With A Lemonade Stand. He Was Responding To Someone Saying In Europe We Care More About Health Than Profit.
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#72 Don’t Forget The Reason Your Healthcare Is So Cheap Is That The Us Subsidizes The Row For All Healthcare And Drug Development Costs
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#73 [free Healthcare] The Idea Is Great On Paper: […] You Are Afraid It Will Be Too Late And We’ll Have To Amputate The Finger?
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#74 “Europeans Are Immortal, They Have Free Healthcare Remember” Its A Two For One Deal Ladies And Gents.
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#75 Healthcare Can Be Free If The Medical Professionals Want To Work For Free. Not By Stealing From Citizens.
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#76 “Uniquely American”
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#77 I Know Enough Drs In Europe To Know I Don’t Want Their Healthcare System Taking Care Of Me
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#78 “Scandinavians Endlessly Describe Their Utopian Existence, While Living Under…oppressive Taxation” On An Post About USA Healthcare
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#79 Healthcare Is Not A Right. Healthcare Is A Commodity
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#80 Most Of The World Has Universal Healthcare At The Expense Of Americans
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#81 “Most Come To America And Pay Out Of Pocket Because They Would Die Waiting To Get Surgeries In Their Own Countries. Nothing Is Free.”
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#82 [commenting The Picture Of A Terminally Ill Child In A Zoo]: “I’ve Seen Kids Like That Be Cured In America… But In Europe, They Get Taken To A Zoo, Because Their ‘Free’ Healthcare Can’t Cure Even The Most Basic Shit.”
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#83 “Us Is Virtually The Only Country Doing Significant Research And Development In Healthcare.”
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#84 “ We Pay For All Their Defenses Against Russia So They Can Pay For Their Bookoo Expensive Healthcare Plans “
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#85 Europe Is Fucked Without The Us. There’s No Way In Hell They’d Be Able To Protect Themselves And Have Free Healthcare.
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#86 “Worse, Like Most Of Europe”
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#87 Everyone Is Dying To Come To The USA For Healthcare!
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#88 Healthcare Is A Privilege Afforded By The Free Market!
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#89 “Better Than The Free Healthcare […] Ours Is Expensive, Not Crap”
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#90 “The Best Super Power In The World” On A Post On How Expensive Us Healthcare Is
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#91 Fuck Healthcare, Gimme That Fat TV!
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#92 “Long Wait Times For Doctors. Especially Surgeries. Can Be Months Out,” -An American, Answering A Question Aimed At People With Universal Healthcare.
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#93 Yankee Over Here Doesn’t Even Understand The Critic Of American Healthcare.
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#94 We Don’t Have A Horrible Healthcare System.
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#95 An American Tries To Explain Why Universal Healthcare Wouldn’t Work In The USA.
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#96 Literally The Best Healthcare
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#97 ‘You Also Pay Less Because You’re Effectively Stealing Money From Your Neighbours To Pay For Your Healthcare.’
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#98 On The American Healthcare System
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#99 Why Can Australia Afford Free Healthcare?
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#100 “Free Healthcare Doesn’t Exist”
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#101 Socialised Healthcare Doesn’t Work, You’ll Die Because The Guy In Front Of You Has The Sniffles
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#102 Free Healthcare Doesn’t Work
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#103 The Root Of Universal Healthcare Is Evil.
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#104 ‘murican Thinks You Have To Wait 10 Hours For Treatment Of A Gunshot Wound With Canada’s Universal Healthcare System
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#105 “America’s Hat. Crappy Healthcare.”
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#106 When Us Healthcare Is Fucked
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#107 Damn Sick People, Using All The Healthcare
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#108 Economic Expert Pinpoints The Issue With American Healthcare
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#109 America Is The Only Reason Other Countries Can Have Quality Healthcare
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#110 Sas: We Still Have The Best Healthcare And Education System In The World…the Majority Of Us Just Can’t Afford It
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#111 Free Healthcare Is Just Paying With Extra Steps.
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#112 “They Also Rank The United States So Low Because They Consider Free Healthcare And Free College Human Rights. Not Kidding”
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#113 Person From The UK Shares A Story About How They Saved Their Baby And How Thankful They Are For Free Healthcare In Britain. Afterwards, This Happens…
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#114 ‘our Human Healthcare System Is Only Broken Because Of The Goverment Attempting To Half Socialized It.’
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#115 An American On Universal Healthcare.
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#116 America Has The Best Healthcare In The World
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#117 Life Pro Tip For Healthcare
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#118 “Healthcare Is Not A Right, Unless You Feel Like Slavery Is Ok”
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#119 This Guy Thinks Most Canadians Live In The South So They Can Get American Healthcare
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#120 “You Spend About 40% Of Your Income On Healthcare”
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#121 Op (American) Paid $1,000 For 4 Pills Yet America Has The “Greatest Healthcare” In The World Apparently
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#122 „nationalised Healthcare Is A Bigger Waste Of Money Than Space Lasers Just Saying“
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#123 Everybody Wants To Live In The Us And Universal Healthcare Takes People’s Time.
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#124 Patriotism, Guns, Freedom Of Speech, Healthcare And Terrorism In One Post.
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#125 “The Ambulance Is Not Your Taxi To The Hospital”
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#126 “My Expensive, Frequent Health Care Is Subsidized At The Expense Of Healthy People. I Think It’s Great!” Thief.
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