ipl-logo

Should Healthcare Be Considered A Privilege Essay

844 Words4 Pages

In my opinion, I believe that healthcare should be a right but unfortunately, in America, it is treating as a privilege. Even though some might disagree, I believe that healthcare should not be considered a privilege. This is clear by the words in our second amendment “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Knickman and Kovner 2015). This country, however, does a terrible job in budgeting health care costs. Before, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 over 40 million people were without health insurance (Knickman and Kovner 2015). For example, my friend’s son was diagnosed with chronic Cystic Fibrosis that required lungs transplant. The hospital denied him and stated, “You are not a transplant candidate”. My friend asked …show more content…

This is not a bad thing, as long as the same rules govern all states and healthcare systems equally. The issues that government activated programs such as Medicare, Medicaid or ACA are facing comes from the way the program lacks proper oversights, limited to inequalities in access, the inflation of cost on healthcare and lack of physician’s incentives. According to Knickman & Kovner, the patient protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of people who lack insurance within the United States (Knickman & Kovner, 2015). Also, according to Laureate Education, after Medicare was passed in the 1960s, "our population has become chronically ill", which can be attributed to the lack of personal responsibility on healthcare consumers and failed quality control on a government-run insurance planned (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012). It could be argued that on many levels, the lack of properly funded universal health care affects not only the health of the American people but also the economic strength of the nation. The high and escalating out-of-pocket costs of medical care are forcing families to delay mortgage payments, sell their homes, and cut back on normal household expenses. Retired families are forced to spend their savings for health care

Show More
Related
309 Words | 2 Pages

In the Declaration of Independence, it lists the right that Americans and health care did not include but it should be. When in grade school, you learn about the three things that are essential living: food, water, and shelter. And none of these essentials fix in the category of being a right. Americans should not be afraid that if they lose their jobs or get another job then they will lose their health insurances. The poorest people are unable to pay payment that comes from hospital services, or even just a basic check-up.

Read More
1605 Words | 7 Pages

In addition to the dismay of many healthcare professionals, patients, and citizens who are uninsured, several flaws about the current healthcare system show the necessity for reform. The three flaws that exacerbate the current healthcare crisis are: the tax code and tax breaks, the lack of preventable care and adequate care of chronic diseases, and administrative costs. A single payer, universal healthcare system can resolve the major flaws of the

Read More
1259 Words | 6 Pages

Developed countries around the world have embraced the universal healthcare, with America being the only exception. Access to healthcare is considered one of the most important things for the progress of a country. However, many people in America consider that the healthcare system in the country is quite inefficient. It is estimated that more than 45 million Americans have no medical insurance.

Read More
1407 Words | 6 Pages

As the United States progresses into the twenty-first century, so does the health care system. While gridlock in the U.S. House of Representatives succumbed, President Obama and his administration celebrated with the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Despite millions gaining access to health care and becoming insured, the law brought much opposition. The opposition argues that the law is too controversial and that the flaws have worsened the health care system. However, the various flaws of the care act are outweighed by the many beneficial factors.

Read More
461 Words | 2 Pages

(For those who are retired, unemployed, or in poverty, other plans are designed to offer coverage, such as Medicare and Medicaid.) It is not clear that this is an ideal, or even efficient way to offer health care. Because it is illegal for a hospital to turn away someone in need of health care, many who are not insured receive their health care at emergency rooms, which is the most expensive form of treatment. In short, the American health care system is one of the most expensive in the world, yet it achieves outcomes that are regarded by many as substandard. (Thus, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, the United States spends twice as much on health care per capita [$7,129] as any other country, yet ranks 30th in infant mortality and 50th in life expectancy [ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/]).

Read More
818 Words | 4 Pages

The United States has different and benefited successful welfare programs which have gained profits to the country and gained aid to the society. Medicare and Medicaid have been popular for a long time now and have kept U.S society well taken care of. In the 50 years since they were signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, Medicare and Medicaid have grown into health insurances huge accomplishment, covering one-third of all Americans and accounting for $4 of every $10 spent on healthcare today. Widely supported by receivers, the programs have been severely successful on many fronts like Medicare has extended health insurance to nearly all the elderly, and Medicaid provides vital fetal and maternity care for almost half of U.S. births. Both programs have improved narrow the healthcare gap between rich and poor, and between whites and minorities providing further benefits to the groups.

Read More
739 Words | 3 Pages

The Constitution of the United States of America states that all Americans are entitled to "unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," To effectively pursue happiness and live life, health is required. However, if not everyone is gaining access to their health because they can’t afford health insurance, then they are losing their constitutional rights. It also states in the Constitution that it is the responsibility of the people and the government to “promote the general welfare” of all Americans. “According to former Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), as part of efforts to "promote the general welfare," health care "is a legitimate function of government."” (Kucinich).

Read More
786 Words | 4 Pages

The law that was intended to improve the status quo of health care has, in essence, caused a dangerous paradigm shift in health care costs. Fundamentally, the Affordable Care Act is a failed attempt to reduce health care costs in the United States. The Act was designed to increase affordability of health insurance for extremely low-income families; nevertheless, the Act exponentially increased health insurance costs for the majority of Americans. In America, majority rules-- why should health care be an

Read More
574 Words | 3 Pages

Health care in the United States costs people more than it does the citizens of any of the other modernized country in the world. This means it is logical that the national government would make reforms to improve the situation for all people. However, in a country with a constitution granting freedom to the people, a plan such as Obamacare calls into question just how far the government is allowed to extend beyond these promised rights in in order to assist the people. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was officially passed on March 23, 2010.

Read More
490 Words | 2 Pages

I had access to healthcare growing up and as time went on, it got cut off when I turned nineteen. What a bummer right? I know that I am not the only one struggling with having no healthcare but others out there as well. Americans that don’t have access to healthcare don’t bother going to the doctor’s office because they’re afraid of the expenses that they will struggle to pay off so they would rather put their health aside. I believe Americans should have free access to healthcare because everyone has a right to their well-being and not having to worry about the expenses.

Read More
1136 Words | 5 Pages

As Bernie Sanders once said, “Health care must be recognized as a right, not a privilege.” Most developed countries choose to live by this quote while the United States of America chooses to go against it. Universal health care has benefits on multiple levels, whether it’s a single individual or the people in a whole. The U.S is one of the few developed countries that doesn’t offer universal health care to their people, yet the U.S spends more than seventeen percent of their GDP on health insurance. Many people believe that universal health care is a simple one solution problem, but the truth is that there are multiple forms of universal health care that provide all citizens with the health insurance they need.

Read More
727 Words | 3 Pages

Health care should not be considered a political argument in America; it is a matter of basic human rights. Something that many people seem to forget is that the US is the only industrialized western nation that lacks a universal health care system. The National Health Care Disparities Report, as well as author and health care worker Nicholas Conley and Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), strongly suggest that the US needs a universal health care system. The most secure solution for many problems in America, such as wasted spending on a flawed non-universal health care system and 46.8 million Americans being uninsured, is to organize a national health care program in the US that covers all citizens for medical necessities.

Read More
588 Words | 3 Pages

The people in America deserves that right to have health care. Insurance based health care should be taken away because not everyone is able to afford the premiums. Health care now states that basically that if you have no health care than you are not able to get any check ups. How can you feel if you can 't afford insurance and you have to make a choice?Some people cannot even afford food on the table so how can they afford insurance?I do not believe that people should not be financially responsible for getting help when they need it the most.

Read More
741 Words | 3 Pages

There is proof and evidence that Americans citizens do not receive the healthcare that they need despite the fact that the U.S. spends more funds per individual on health care than compared to any other country. Individuals who are battling prolonged diseases such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease does not get the established and actual treatment that they should. For example, these individuals should be receiving drug therapies or self-management services so that they can assist them more efficiently and help them control their conditions. This goes for every American citizens that is uninsured, insured, or under-insured. These problems that the individuals are facing are only worsen due to the fact of lack of coordination

Read More
464 Words | 2 Pages

In my view, healthcare is neither a right nor a privilege. A right to health care implies that the force of law can justifiably be used to force health care providers to deliver services regardless of cost and regardless of the opinions and circumstances of those who provide the service. In addition this usually means that taxpayers are also forced to provide the funds to pay for services provided - whether or not they would do so voluntarily or not. A privilege implies that a person seeking health care does so by permission, or at least as a less than equal partner in the relationship between patient and care giver. It is reasonable however to state that everyone has the right to SEEK health care from providers and every health care provider has the right to OFFER services.

Read More

More about Should Healthcare Be Considered A Privilege Essay

Related Topics

Open Document