Sould a Person's right to Health Services be based on that person's economic status?

Question

Is ability to pay a legitimate gage for the level of Health Care a person is entitled to receive?

Answer 1

Thank you, thank you, thank you ctjr!!!! I have worked in the medical field a long time, and cannot seem to explain to people how health care is not a right. You cannot make people go to school and learn medicine so that others have a right to the service. The medical field is in short supply of qualified health care workers, ie. doctors, nurses, technologists. Why? Because no one wants to work the long hours and suffer the stress of making up for the shortage of health care workers. In the meantime, Hilary Clinton et al are trying to come up with a national health care policy that provides the right to medical treatment to the people. I would like to know how they will accomplish that if everyone in the medical field quits and no one goes to medical school anymore. Not that it would happen to that degree, but what if? Is health care a right then? And if it is, who will you make provide it?

You have a right to take care of yourself and lead a healthy life. If it requires medical attention to do that, you have a right to get a job so that you can afford the medical service.

I think the key thing that irritates me most about this question is the word "entitled". Just because you were born does not make you entitled to anything.....period. You are fortunate enough to live in a country that respects and provides certain rights to you, but you could have easily been born elsewhere and had no rights. Entitlement is not yours to have on the backs of others just becuase you think you so deserve it. When people of America get that straight, we will do better at solving problems instead of creating them because we think we are entitled to something.

Answer 2

Let's try that on a different item. Should a person's right to Food be based on that person's economic status? In other words, should people have a "right" to stuff that they can't afford to buy?

Ability to pay is absolutely a legitimate measure of what kinds of goods and services you get. Ability to pay comes from desire to work, and unless you adopt some form of Communist system, that's how things get done. In recent history, we've seen where Communism leads (generally to massive starvation and repression). So, I'm totally in favor of free markets for everything, including health services, yes. A persons "right" to health services SHOULD be based on their economic status.

Answer 3

It should NOT be, but we are not all dumb. We, I think, on some level have experienced different levels due to what we have financially. I can give you an excellent example I experienced myself and learned a real lesson on life.

When I was 20, I had my first daughter. I was on Medicaid, here in Mississippi. At the hospital, I used the "community" shower/restroom. I did not even have one in my room. It was extremely embarrassing after having a baby.

Two years later, at the same hospital, I gave birth to my 2nd daughter. Dreading the "community showers" etc, I was shocked to find myself on the same floor yet opposite ends of the hallway in a nice room with my own shower and toilet. Upon asking the difference and telling them I was glad of the upgrades they had made, I was informed that the difference was, I had insurance. Yep, I had insurance. The "other side of the hallway" was for those that didn't.

I was shocked, appalled, and truly taken aback by the blatant honesty and acceptance of this behavior. I asked several nurses about it, no one seemed to think it was a big deal.

I have experienced it on both levels. I know it exists and I think it is a shame. We even see stars and politicians immediately receive babies and transplants for organs when others wait months and years sometimes never receiving either. Anyway, don't get me started. I could go on and on about this as it is a pet peeve of mine!

Answer 4

In the United States health care is a privilege and not a right. Trust me if you have good insurance, extra tests will be added to your care as opposed to the uninsured person. It is not a legitimate gage, but the practice is alive and well. Unfortunately, this system will not be able to sustain itself for much longer.More and more people are unable to cover the cost of basic health care let alone decent insurance. Changes are imperative. May we make the right decisions.

Answer 5

yes and no we are are what would be considered a low income family and we earn 20 more than the cut off point so we get no medical for free at all, and it suxs as my hubbie has a medical conditon requires 160 dollars of medication each mothns if its a good months, and i have to pay 56 dollars the pill so no we really need the help and if i was not to work we would end up with 100dollars lesa fortnight and gett all the benifits so it really suxs

Answer 6

Healthcare is a service.

A person does not have a "right" to a service.

If a person has a "right" to a service, then the other person who is providing the service has become a slave...Literally!

Answer 7

Everyone should have to pay something, no one should have it for free. You should pay less percentagewise for how much you make.
The free thing is what is causing our country to be in debt and is what is causing the healthcare system to be so expensive. No body should have anything for free. It just causes resentment, and makes you look like a free-wheeling mooch.

Answer 8

I BELIEVE BONO ,COULD ANSWER BETTER THAN I COULD.