Reasons Why Health Care is NOT a Right
Health Care - Right vs Service
A right is something that we are entitled to. It is free and cannot be taken away. So, why does health insurance cost money? That's because it is a product - a service that should and must be purchased. Health insurance companies must pay for medical services, staff to process paperwork. and lawyers to ensure that doctors are not overcharging for their services. There is no possible way for them to provide this service for free. Even if you have a government supplemented health insurance and pay nothing out of pocket, someone (taxpayers) still have to pay for it.
Healthy Lifestyle vs Health Care
This is where the line gets kinda fuzzy. In my opinion, we all have a right to live a healthy lifestyle. We can choose whether or not we want to eat a cheeseburger or a salad, drink water or soda, exercise or be a couch potato, smoke or don't smoke. But does that mean that health insurance should be included in those rights? I disagree. Let's face it, a lot of health issues (such as heart disease, obesity, high/low blood pressure) can be a direct result of our lifestyle choices. So, should a smoker automatically be entitled to treatment for self induced conditions such as lung cancer or emphysema? Let's take a new car for example. You have the right to pick the model and color, decide where you want to drive it, what grade of gasoline to put in its tank. However, you don't have the right to go to Jiffy Lube and demand a tune-up. Why? Because it is not a right that comes with being a vehicle owner. Sure, we have the right to choose whether or not we are going to get our oil changed, but there are consequences if we make the bad choice to not get it done.
We Already Have the Right to Treatment
Yeah, yeah.... I know. It sounds like I am about to contradict myself, but hear me out. I firmly believe that everyone has a right to health treatment and services. This is also another area where the debate gets dicey. The problem is that a lot of people who argue that health care is a right also argue that it is an entitlement and should be free for everyone. Well, we already discussed why it is impossible for health care to be free. Of course, supporters of the newly passed Health Care Bill try to argue the there are two groups of people in this country - people with insurance and people without. They act like people without insurance are just dying in the streets because they can't go to the doctor. This is a complete lie!
The reality of the situation is that EVERYONE has access to health care. Anyone can walk into an ER anywhere in the country and be treated. Let's use my situation as an example. The first year that my wife and I were married, we didn't have insurance. She got sick and needed to go to a doctor. We went to the ER, set up a payment plan, and made the payments. How hard is that? I think the problem is that most people automatically write off the fact that they cannot pay the entire bill so they just decide to pay nothing. I'm sorry, but no matter how poor you are, you can always pay at least something. $5? $10? Shoot, cancel your cable and use that money to pay the bill. I know its possible.... I've been there. Our gross income that first year was a measly $12,000. Still, we worked hard and paid what we could because we understood that it was a service that we used and it was our RESPONSIBILITY to pay for it. It's time for America to wake up and smell the coffee. Everything can't be free in life. And not everything is a right.
Published by Brandon Miller
Brandon Miller has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Franklin University. He enjoys traveling to new countries and has a 2nd degree black belt in Karate. View profile
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25 Comments
Post a CommentI stronly agree with you and more should note your examplw of paying your hospital bill.
I've been sick and not gone to the doctor because I didn't have insurance. In fact, I have had a chest cough for over a month now, and won't be going to the doctor. What are they going to tell me that I don't already know? There isn't treatment to cure a cold, anyway. (BTW my kids do have health insurance...)
While I disagree with you on some points, I enjoyed the article and can imagine where you are coming from. Good job!
Clearly stated points, Brandon!
me to have to share that with the other lazy people.
Carol - We can just agree to disagree on your first point. However, I will disagree with point 2. I did not suggest that lifestyle is 100% of the problem. This is only a small piece of the puzzle. I will argue that lifestyle has a lot to do with some of America's major health problems. For example, the #1 killer in the US is heart disease. While this cannot be completely prevented, the risk can be significantly reduced by living a healthy life. Period. As for your 3rd point, I don't know if you read to the end of my article, but I clearly stated that our first year of marriage, my wife and I lived on $12k. So I have lived there. However, income should be a mute point in this debate. People should learn to live with the responsibilities of their actions. MOST (not all) of Americans are poor because they choose to be. They are because they either made bad decisions in life or were lazy. That is a fact. I'm sorry if I offend people, but I worked hard to get where I am, it isn't fair for m
1- you pay for everything, food is a right but not free, housing is a right but not free, death isn't even a right it is legislated but still you pay for it.
2- you are taking as if everything is based on lifestyle, what about birth defects, cancers, and other stuff not related to health style, insurance companies take your money you pay for it, and they don't pay for many things and you are out of pocket for a lot and you still pay through you teeth.
3- I see you have never been that poor that you have to decide if you need to buy food or pay your rent, because of that you would never understand how paying for insurance would be out of the question in a situation like that. Socrates said never change a man until you walked in his shoes.
Great points!
You have made very interesting points here! great job!
Patricia - First, the lifestyle arguement was only meant as an illustration for health conditions such as obesity. Why should everyone pitch in to pay for people who are fat. They are fat because they are lazy. Period. I agree that everyone should have health care. However, the reality is that someone has to pay for it. I'm sorry (and I know I will catch crap for this - it's ok - I am entitled to my opinion), but too many (not all) Americans cant afford health care because they made poor decisions in life. Maybe they chose not to go to college, maybe they chose to be a criminal (which kept them from getting a good paying job), maybe they cant hold down a job because they are a lousy employee. We should be asking WHY people can't afford their own insurance instead of just accepting that they can't and give it away on someone elses dime. I busted my butt to get where I am. I went to college full time(yes, I paid for it myself) as I worked a full time job. I watched many of my other frien