The Right Of Health Care

In 2007, more than 45 million Americans did not have health care insurance. The United States is the only industrialized major nation in the world without health care, and the debate about changing that has become a popular issue recently. The sharp difference between the two sides is a difference in ethical values; those for universal health care desire to see the government help others, mainly the lower class, and those who do not, wish that private companies be allowed to continue taking advantage of the status quo for profit. In this paper, I will argue why the Government should put in place The Universal Healthcare Systems.[1]

The campaign for some form of universal health care has spanned practically a century in the USA and has been the subject of political debate since the early part of the 20th century. Recent reforms remain an active and urgent political issue. Universal Health Care has been one of the leading public issues in America and in recent times this issue has risen to the fore, because of its increasing prevalence in the government, market, and civil sectors. In this essay, I will be looking at why this issue can and does affect everyone, no matter which sectors we look at. I will be taking an in-depth look at the many reasons why this public issue is worth caring about and why it is such a hotly contested subject in today’s politics, jobs, and even our homes. This is an incredibly important issue that should concern us all, but before we can start working on how to make this public issue better, we must first understand why it is a public issue.

In 1993, the Clinton administration proposed a far-reaching health-care reform bill called the Health Security Act. This plan would have guaranteed health insurance to every American. This proposition did not get broad consumer support, and Congress scuttled it, saying it was too expensive, too bureaucratic, and too intrusive. Despite defeat of that bill, many Americans are still committed to achieving universal coverage for all Americans. Many universal health care advocates favor a national health insurance plan funded by the government. The majority of industrialized nations have such health care systems, sometimes called “socialized medicine.” However, critics say that the United States cannot afford a national health care system. Moreover, most national health care plans are inferior to the best of our health plans. Switching to a government-funded system would destroy what is good about the present system.

Health care is an inalienable human right. In a presidential debate on October 7th, 2008, Barack Obama stated that in a country as wealthy as America, people should not be going bankrupt due to their inability to pay a hospital bill. A person who is dying of cancer should not spend their remaining months of life worrying and arguing with insurance companies who claim that this may be condition that has preexisted, and that they will not be paying for treatment. This describes that health care for all is a priority because not everyone has the money to pay huge hospital bills and it is just fundamentally wrong to see a person’s life ruined and money lost, due to this issue. Additionally, the Preamble to the U.S. constitution and Article One Section Eight describe that an originating purpose for America is to promote the general welfare. Health care, therefore, is a basic right in a Democratic society just as is the right to vote. Lastly, Amnesty International USA, a global movement that campaigns to end abuses of human rights, stated that, “No one should be discriminated against on the basis of income, health status, gender, race, age, immigration status or other factors…” Quality health care should be provided to everyone, no matter

Over the past century, individual health-care costs in the United States of America have tripled. Just in 2014, the annual health-care spending hit $3.8 trillion. (Munro) Not only does the overall cost of healthcare keep rising, but also the number of uninsured citizens is staying stagnant. Even with the recent controversies over Obama care, American citizens are not gaining the advantages that they need in obtaining basic health-care. The cost will only further increase, unless some action is taken. As much as implementing a universal health care system would seem to benefit the United States, it is fiscally impossible to do it with the current state of our economy. (Gibberman) The opportunity

Health care is a highly political topic, and the issue of whether or not to make health care, universal is at the center of the controversy (Rich & Walter, 2015). Health care is a vital component of day-to-day life, and as such it has not been left entirely in the hands of private ownership. There are regulations in place to ensure people receive quality health care at a relatively low price. Universal health care would just expand these already existing regulations while opening up health insurance to the masses. Universal health care has a role in the American Health care system, but only as a supplement to the private insurance model.

Moreover, opponents of universal health care argue that people should have the privilege of selecting healthcare just like any other good or service in a free market. However, most of these views are baseless and absurd. If a universal health care system is implemented, similar to the one in United Kingdom or Canada, all insurance providers in nearly every state would be brought together into a single organization whose mandate would be to cater for medical care expenses and offer health coverage to every U.S citizen. Approximately 30% of the overall health care expenses would be saved from waste or made accessible for health services rather than being misused on managing insurance providers together with their executives and actuaries (Lev 1).

From childhood, all Americans learn that “money makes the world go ‘round.” This becomes particularly evident when looking at the country’s healthcare system, and health insurance along with it.. Both focus on making money, many times at the expense of patients. The people and their government proposed universal healthcare as a solution, but the term’s meaning seems to change with every debate. At its core, universal healthcare means that all who need healthcare should get quality treatment, at a cost that will not cause them severe financial harm. America has debated universal healthcare for years; although many worry about the taxes that go along with it, the better mental health and increased life expectancy universal healthcare provides far outweigh the minimal consequences.

The issue of universal health care has been a bone of contention among critics of health care reform. They claim that making health care accessible to uninsured Americans would jeopardize the democratic and capitalist susceptibility. Additionally, opponents of universal health insurance allude to untrustworthy contention insinuating that maybe as medical care and drugs succeed in becoming universally accessible, that societies might also begin to demand for universal access to food, shelter or higher education and at such annihilating American work ethic and capitalist system which has been the nation’s foundation since its inception.

The United States is one of the only countries of the 34 members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the only major country that does not provide its citizens with universal health care. In the past, however, many presidents and people tried to give Americans universal health care but unfortunately failed. Nevertheless, most people believe that universal health care should be provided to citizens because the cost of medicine and health care are increasing and the number of people without insurance is increasing as well. But opponents argue that the right to health care will lead to socialism and health care should be the individual's reasonability, not the government's. However, even though universal health

For many years health care debates have been extremely popular and constitute a very divided issue amongst leaders and advocacy groups on both sides of the political spectrum. According to gale group, healthcare is listed as one of the basic human rights that all Americans are entitled to. According to report published in health care issues “The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights lists medical care among the basic human rights to which all people are entitled, but there has been a significant disparity in the availability of health care in the United States and many citizens’ ability to access this care. In 2016, approximately 9.1 percent of Americans did not have health insurance coverage, an improvement from 17 percent

It is stated that the founding documents of the United States provide the support for the right to health care. In the Declaration of

If the intent of our forefathers to define health care as an unalienable right, the support was introduced with the inception of Medicare in 1965, by Congress when the “first-dollar coverage” was introduced (Keraiakes & Willerson, 2004,pg 1). With the passing of the Affordable Care Act signed into law of March 23, 2010, there have been significant changes in the population of uninsured Americans. Fast-forward 10 years: The number of American with health insurance has increased. The number of people uninsured, under the current laws in 2016 is 29 million with a projected decrease of 2 million over the next 10 years (Congressional Budget Office [CBO], 2015). The uninsured are classified as individuals who are ineligible for Medicaid, those who are eligible, but choose not to enroll, and unauthorized immigrants who are ineligible for exchange subsidies or for most Medicaid benefits. Those individuals who have access through an employer, directly from an insurer, or through the health insurance marketplace and do not purchase insurance. Insured, nonelderly Americans will reach a projected 90% of the population in 2026 (CBO, 2015). Having health insurance has become increasingly important to U.S. residents and with these strides in health insurance availability; it seems inhumane to exclude health care as a human right. The Health Insurance Marketplace can assist with

What was once considered a luxury, healthcare is becoming more and more of an expense as the years have gone on. It is no secret that the cost of healthcare is spiraling out of control. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, “Total health care spending in the United States is expected to reach $4.8 trillion in 2021, up from $2.6 trillion in 2010 and $75 billion in 1970. To put it in context, this means that health care spending will account for nearly 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), or one-fifth of the U.S. economy, by 2021.” Insurance premiums are multiplying faster than the rate of inflation. This could lead to a decline in economic growth and leave businesses with less money to hire new employees, increase wages, and expand their companies. While the quality, and availability, of medical care in the United States remains among the best in the world, many wonder whether we would be better off adopting a universal government-controlled health care system like the one used in Canada. With the cost of healthcare more than the average cost of food and housing, it’s time to make a change (Claus, 2011). I believe that access to healthcare is limited because of lack of hospitals and treatment centers in the community, economical and social economic status, and financial responsibility.

Currently, the issue of health insurance has been a bone of contention for the public regarding whether the United States government should provide this health plan or not. People often possess different perspectives and refer to pros and cons on both sides of the spectrum. While some believes a universal healthcare system will set a foundation for a lower quality of service, increasing governmental finance deficit, and higher taxes, others do not hold the same thought. A universal healthcare system brings enormous advantages rather than disadvantages, such as all-inclusive population coverage, convenient accessibility, low time cost, and affordable medical cost, all of which not only provide minimum insurance to the disadvantaged but also improve the efficiency of medical resources distribution.