Should healthcare be a right?

Question

I've heard some rabid lefties say this, but it makes no sense to me that something that costs money can be a right. Someone has to pay for it - and if it is the taxpayers then aren't those who don't pay taxes getting more rights? If it is my right, I should not have to pay for it.

Medicare is actually the largest expense in the budget and continues to grow.

Police and fire protection are not rights. If they were, every crime that happened could go to court as a rights violation. There is nothing about education in the constitution...

Answer 1

Availability should me, the government paying my bills shouldn't be.

The police and fire protection arguments are just plain stupid. saying they should be handled the same way puts the onus of paying for health care on local governments. Is that what people propose?

Answer 2

People claim all kinds of rights that do not really exist. What gets me the most about this is that there are over three hundred million Americans. The current system provides coverage to over two hundred sixty million of them. That leaves only a forty or so million without coverage. Now let's break down that number. First off there are the wealthy. There has to be several million of them. They do not need or want health insurance because they can just pay as they go choosing whatever hospital and doctors they wish. There are doctors in New York for instance that do not accept any health insurance. Cash only. They are that good and their patients are that rich.

Next you have your young people 18-25 who make enough money but would rather spend it on something else. They are young and healthy and don't see a need for insurance.

Then you have the self-employed. They cannot afford to pay individual rates. The same for some small businesses. I don't know about you but this seems like a pretty solvable problem to get these people covered. It certainly does not require scrapping the entire health system and turning it over to the Federal Government.

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Answer 3

I think it is your right to recieve help for serious life threatening issues, but you should have to compensate for it somehow. Either by working, or paying. The whole problem with it is that the money does have to come from somewhere. I am sympathetic so I feel bad if someone can't afford healthcare. I certainly don't believe cosmetic health care should be covered for free ever. Not braces or anything. It's just, medical care is so expensive, it is hard to expect people to pay for it. A day in the hospital is anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 and that's only if you're staying there. That is not even counting your operation or whatever else.

Answer 4

As we are guaranteed the right to "Life," health care should be easily accessible to all Americans. It should be handled just like any other government service. Police are there to protect lives. Fire fighters are there to protect lives. Why not doctors to protect lives?

I don't like paying for anyone else's way either, but in the very least I believe people should be able to receive health care if they need it. I might not like my tax dollars going to build 5-million dollar tanks, but it goes there anyways. I think many people who often make this point don't realize how much of our tax money goes to the military - a number that dwarfs what we spend on social services.

There is a difference between free universal health care and a universal single-payer insurance system. The later would be a better step for the US right now.

Answer 5

I can understand it when people say "I don't want to pay into a high priced government ran HC system" but when it becomes personal for people and say things like "I don't what to pay for some lazy bum" I have a problem with that. The same system I would pay into to help someone else would be the same system that would come about when I need help as well. And I'm no bum.
I agree that I don't want the gov running HC not because I think it's "socialist" but because I don't think our government at this point would do a good job of it. Not because "someone else" would benefit.

Answer 6

How about affordable and accessible?
How about balanced and ran by those who are medically, not business, trained.
It is for most of us a question of why as a healthy person can I not fit this into my budget?
Not every one is looking for a free ride, but an affordable one that actually is there in a time of need and doesn't suck the budget dry for nothing. Give that some thought. Or do you profit from the healthcare system of today and greed is scaring you?

Answer 7

No way.
My husband works hard for our healthcare.

We pay five hundred a month and have many out of pocket expenses and deductions.
My husband accidentally fell off the roof and broke his neck last year, now we are in debt for $12,000.
Oh well! At least I pay only $40 a month for my Prozak.

Point is, don't expect the goverment to pick up your dirty laundrey.
Get a job and work for it like we do.

Answer 8

Police protection is a right and it costs money.

Fire protection is a right and it costs money.

The right to a jury trial costs money.

The right to national defense costs a TON of money.

The right to an education costs money.

Where do you get the idea that our society only provides a right to things which are cost-free?

EDIT: I really don't understand people like Goober. She likes being $12,000 in debt because her hard working husband got hurt on the job? WTF??? What happens if he is out of work and re-injures himself. Then what??

Answer 9

Yes it is a right. And we all should make the same amount of money and have the same food and drive the same cars. And we all should dress the same to. Why should you have a new car and not me. It makes me feel bad to see someone that has something that I do not have. I should not have to feel bad it is just not right.

Answer 10

It should be handled the same way the Police and Fire Departments are handled. Or do you want to pay for that too.