I support universal healthcare because it saves lives. Living in England and enjoying the ability to receive healthcare when it is needed, has shown me the importance of providing help without the need to go into debt; help when it is needed rather than when it can be afforded. When I was living in the US and found myself in extreme pain from appendicitis, I went into the hospital and was operated on as a welfare case because I had no insurance. After the surgery I could no longer work during my period of recovery, which left in on the verge of homelessness. Without health insurance we are susceptible to financial ruin, which takes us out of the workplace and into poverty. Additionally, many people with health insurance find themselves in the same position if they have a catastrophic illness or accident. Proper healthcare can be the difference between working and not working, early diagnosis of illness and spiralling debt. Universal healthcare saves lives.