With all the talk about overhauling the health care system so that adequate care is available to all, it is worth asking the question whether health care is a right or a privilege. There are millions of people who have no insurance or unaffordable premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. In a civilized society, people should not die because they are being denied care, or not seeking care because of the expense. However, this occurs in America every year.
According to the World Health Organization, the US comes in 37th for health system performance. This is despite the fact that we spend more money on health care than any other country.
The fundamental question that many people ask is whether or not people are entitled to health care as a right, or whether it is a privilege, or whether it is a personal responsibility.
Many people believe that every American that wants it, is entitled to health care coverage. When you look at coverage as a right, the next question is how to effectively provide it. If we go to a nationalized system, the insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and medical equipment companies will be the big losers as their ability to make billions of dollars each year will be curtailed. The proponents of the right to health care believe that legislation will provide equal access to equal care, but this may or may not be true. People in poorer areas and in rural areas don’t have the same high tech equipment and specialists unless they take the time and expense to travel somewhere else. If it is a right, the system may become overburdened with people seeking care, and there is already a shortage of doctors and nurses.
People who believe health care is a privilege are those who have the power to decide what health care is, who will get it, and when they will get it. They are the authority figures who make the legislation and enforce the laws. Therefore, the privilege exists at the hands of those we elect, and because they have a difficult time agreeing, the public still ends up in a bad situation. The other problem is that the health care laws could change every time there is an election, so uncertainty abounds.
It’s hard for those who never have to go to the doctor to accept the fact that they will subsidize care for others who aren’t responsible and don’t take care of themselves. For example, people who abuse drugs and alcohol, people who are overweight, people who smoke, and people who don’t eat healthily will be sick more often, and those who take care of themselves will foot the bill. However, they can’t ignore those who are conscious about their health and don’t abuse their bodies, but still get sick. If we look at health care as a responsibility, we are putting care back into the hands of the people, and that means that we are in the same place we were before. We will be responsible for securing insurance, saving money to pay co-payments, deductibles, and uncovered expenses. But we will also have the freedom to have the insurance that fits our needs.
The debate about health care will continue for years, even after decisions are made about how to handle it. There is no doubt that all Americans have the right to seek treatment and insurance products to pay for those treatments. There is no doubt that Americans have the privilege of electing officials who make the determinations about the future of health care. Nor is there any doubt that Americans must be responsible in caring for themselves and their families, and making the choices that come with those responsibilities.
