In the US, there is an age-old debate whether public healthcare or private healthcare is better.

BACKGROUND
Public vs. Private was much of the controversy in 2010 when President Obama introduced “Obamacare,” officially known as the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. He attempted to improve US healthcare by creating a public healthcare option when private was the only option. The goals of his public option included creating healthcare that is more affordable, higher quality and more accessible to all.

PUBLIC OPTION
Some believe there should be a public healthcare option in addition to a private option.

– Should government have a larger hand in healthcare and offer public healthcare alongside private healthcare?
– Will that help provide better, more affordable healthcare to all Americans?

PRIVATE OPTION
Others believe there should only be a private healthcare option.

– Should the government stay out of it, letting only private companies offer healthcare?

There are two major sides in the US healthcare debate:

1. PUBLIC: Add public to the private option. This creates competition for private, making all healthcare better. And, more affordable healthcare for all. —Let there be options!

2. PRIVATE: The government is inefficient – don’t allow a public option. Let private companies compete naturally. This creates the best, most efficient healthcare. —Screw the rest, we do it best.

A public healthcare option was created with the Affordable Care Act aka. “Obamacare”. Details are still being debated.

What will happen to “Obamacare” over time? Which is really best, private or a mixture of private and public?

WANT MORE?
What is actually said in the Affordable Care Act? We’ve summed up the major points here.

How do the others do it? Check out this summary from Policy Mic of 7 other top ranked countries’ healthcare systems. They range from a public system, a private system, or a blend of both private and public, like the US.