I agree our healthcare system has serious problems — costs are too high and too many people struggle to access care. But the claim that universal healthcare is simply better doesn't hold up under scrutiny.

The U.S. has the highest cancer survival rates in the world. According to the Lancet's CONCORD-3 study, five-year survival for breast cancer in the U.S. is 90.2%, compared to 85.6% in Canada and 81.1% in the UK. For colon cancer, the U.S. rate is 64.9% versus 60.3% in Canada. When you actually get sick with something serious, the American system delivers better outcomes.

Wait times tell a dramatic story. The Fraser Institute reports that the median wait time from referral to treatment in Canada was 27.7 weeks in 2023. In the UK's NHS, over 7.6 million people were on waiting lists in 2023. In the U.S., you can typically see a specialist within days to weeks.

The U.S. drives global medical innovation. American companies develop the majority of new drugs and medical devices. Of the top 10 medical innovations of the past 50 years, most originated in the U.S. The profit motive that critics complain about is exactly what funds the $100+ billion in pharmaceutical R&D that produces life-saving treatments.

American healthcare spending is high partly because we subsidize the world — other countries impose price controls on drugs developed with American investment. We also have higher rates of chronic conditions related to obesity and lifestyle, which drives costs regardless of the payment system.

The problems are real but targeted: we need price transparency, interstate insurance competition, tort reform, reduced regulatory barriers for generic drugs, and expanded Health Savings Accounts. These market-based reforms can lower costs without sacrificing quality or innovation.