Rather than search for yet another article scrutinizing the ins and outs of Obama’s attempt at a healthcare plan, I looked for something closer to home. The Daily Illini produced an article yesterday titled “Freedom of press, speech, religion and… healthcare?” This article discusses healthcare as a right and whether or not it is accurately placed in that category as both President Obama and deceased Senator Kennedy have referred to it. The author makes some good points, such as, “just because we need something doesn’t entitle us to it.” He goes on to question whether seeing the best doctor would then be in someone’s rights, if patients would then consider cosmetic surgeries, Lasik, and quit-smoking counseling a right, and if healthcare as a right would mean free healthcare?
While I do not completely agree with the author that health care should be a “commodity that can be bought and sold,” I am also not convinced that healthcare should be a right. In a perfect world, I wish it could be a right…along with food and housing and equal opportunity, etc. Unfortunately, that is not that way it works. Giving someone the right to press, speech or religion does not cost billions of dollars.
If you'd like to read this article ---> http://www.dailyillini.com/blogs/different-perspectives/2009/09/28/freedom-of-press-speech-religion-and-health-care
Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteAnalyzing if health care is a basic right or not, is an interesting perspective. Though it might not be our natural born right or one of the rights listed under Bill of Rights, I think citizens of this country should have access to quality health care. For example, technically getting advanced education is not a right. However, the government subsidizes the rate of education for lower-income students through lower-interest rate federal loans or grants. These expenses are also funded by tax payers money and for a good reason. Imagine how much intellectual power we would be loosing if all the lower income students could not afford to go to college? As a country, we emphasize that everyone should have the same opportunity to be successful; everyone has the same opportunity to achieve that American Dream. Everyone should have the opportunity to access decent doctors and medical care.
In response to this post, I personally believe that healthcare is a right that all citizens are entitled to. The author of the Daily Illini article is exactly right, "just because we need something doesn't entitle us to it" but that statement to me is in reference to things like needing a car, or needing new clothes, or even needing a nice house. These are all material things that you may need, but you are not entitled to.
ReplyDeleteHowever, healthcare on the other hand is something that you need to stay healthy and even to survive sometimes. Many people go without healthcare because they can't afford it or because they lost their coverage and due to pre-existing conditions they are not considered for any other coverage. Situations like this cause unhealthy people, untimely deaths, and a lot of unnecessary chaos and debate.
Seeing the best doctor would be an option, but not necessarily a right, I say this because in most situations seeing the best doctor requires expensive healthcare and if you can't afford expensive healthcare you can't really demand that you have this. This is an elective for those that can afford it. Not saying that for those that can't afford "the best doctor" they shouldn't be given good healthcare, but in actuality if you made it pass medical school and residency you are more than likely a good doctor. When people talk about "the best doctor" they are referring to someone that is the best at what they practice. Optional services, like cosmetic surgery, and Lasik surgery will not be considered a right because we all know that these services do not save lives and are not mandatory by any means so therefore it would not be a right. If healthcare is a right it does not necessarily mean free, but it does mean that it should be based off of income (if you have a steady income), or free for those that show proof of no income. In a perfect world healthcare would be a right and although we don't live in a perfect world healthcare is still a very vital part of life that should be considered a right nonetheless.
I completely agree with the writer of the DI article. Health care is indeed a "commodity that can be bought and sold". The argument that health care is a right due to its "life or death" importance is inherently flawed. Is "equal access" to "quality" food a right? Drinking water? The fact that a commodity is highly important to own does not constitute a right. How many goods/services can one name that are rights?
ReplyDeleteThe argument that health care is a right is surely a populist argument which appeals to many. American culture increasingly is looking towards government for answers to problems, and such a statement justifies much of the call for government action.
Now, this does not mean health care should not be subsidized by the government for those who simply cannot afford it. The education comparison previously mentioned works in this sense--education is not a right, but rather something we all agree should be accessible by the masses. Efforts to make health care accessible to all is something we should strive for, but calling a service such as health care a "right" simply does not align with the constitutional principles of our country.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteYour article is interesting because it provides insight to some reasons to oppose health care overhaul. Something to consider is the gray area between universal and private health care. You imply that you do not agree or disagree with the authors, but rather that you think the option should be somewhere between. I agree with your approach because it does not play to one party or the other, but rather to helping the population as a whole.