This paper explains that, currently, the majority of Americans has health insurance through their employer or through government
funded programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran's Administration; however, 16% of the population being uninsured, such as the unemployed, the underemployed and workers with preexisting medical conditions, will receive medical treatment only if their life is immediately at risk. The author points out that Medicaid and Medicare, a partial federal and state paid program, similar to
socialized systems in other countries, suffer from a physician payment hierarchy, which creates a longer waiting times and lesser access to care for patients under Medicaid, and abuse on the part of patients and that the paradox with HMOs is the less
healthcare they provided the more money the HMO stands to gain. The paper concludes that a fully socialized healthcare system to grant healthcare access to every citizen and to reign in the rising costs is ultimately the answer to all the problems facing the U.S. medical industry.