5/21/2007
Is health care a "right?"
Yesterday, the Journal Sentinel proclaimed “This Editorial Board believes health care is a right…. Make this right a reality, and all else will more readily fall into place.”
In late April, Dan Neufelder, president and chief executive officer of Affinity Health System joined a panel to help kick off “Cover the Uninsured Week.” Neufelder was reported to have said “As a nation we feel health care should be a right, but it is funded as if it were a privilege.”
Our families, our employers, our state, our nation have much work to do in controlling health care utilization before health care becomes a “right” “and all else [falls readily into place.]”
For I would argue vehemently that before health care is a right, it is a responsibility.
Is health care a right because we have a right to eat to obesity and our knees and hips won’t support us?
Is health care a right when a diabetic or hypertensive can choose to be out of control more often than they’re in control?
Is health care a right when life style choices (is that the politically correct way to say “smoking and heavy drinking”) cause health problems?
Is health care a right when you’re all bashed up because you didn’t wear a seat belt?
Is health care a right when extraordinary actions are called for to save a loved one in pain and dying?
Is health care a right when we ask and ask and ask for services, having no idea what they cost?
Yes, we as a nation must provide good medical care and education to all of our citizens, including those most unable to pay for those services. I’m not here to rail against high quality care for all.
I am here to suggest our own health care is a personal responsibility before it ever becomes a right.
COMMENTS
And is health care a right when some choose to "drop" their insurance coverage to save $50 a month?
Another good question. Good. JE
Dale (Mon May 21 09:46:03 2007)
Yes health care is a right that has been denied to us way too long based on greed and the manipulation and defeat of legislation that 70% or more of the people want.
It is a right for those of those who don't do all those excessive things you mention. This is a specious argument at best saying that some would abuse a system while others in the single payer system would have to support them. We live as a society. And the greater good is not served by agonizing over the excesses of the few. No greater good is served at this time except the profits of private insurance companies who should be out of the health care business altogether. Any attempt to integrate private insurances into a national health system has failed and rightly so. The followup question I would ask is: Are Doctors public servants or businessmen? Services provided and billed tend to be the most expensive and favor the doc's own investments which are then billed to private insurance companies. It's a self-perpetuating cycle of greed.
Doctors are public servants and businessmen Lon. Please, please remember that the public good cannot be served if the costs are simply too burdensome. Burdensome for a few or burdensome for many. We as a country absolutely must address the question of excessive or unwise system utilization before we move to fix what has become a failed system (third party pay). As they say, when something is free, it ends up costing way too much. We must move to a system in which consumers can and will make wise health care choices, a system that includes the dollar value of services as a variable and at times, as a consequence. JE
Lon Ponschock (Mon May 21 12:27:44 2007)
Lon,
You obviously don't understand the definition of a "right." You have the right to free speech, you have the right to assemble -but you don't have the right to someone else's expertise, time and effort.
When you claim health care is a right, you are taking away the free will of the doctor. He would have no choice but to provide medical services to you upon demand. That scenario is obviously flawed. So let us get away from the word "right."
Now if you want to say that universal health care is a priority, or it is a moral obligation on society then we can debate that - but it just simply is not a right.
Very well said, Mr. Investigator. JE
truth investigator (Mon May 21 14:53:49 2007)
Jo obviously has a good health plan. Wait until the corporations have full control of it and then we'll see how she feels about it. Jack Lohman www.BusinessCoalition.net
Good health plan or not, I'm a very responsible health care consumer Jack. All you other responsible health care consumers out there, be sure to look at Jack's web site. I'd label it scary. JE
Jack Lohman (Mon May 21 16:13:14 2007)
PJ O'Rourke said it correctly. Think health care is expensive now? Wait till it is "free". Ever notice eye & cosmetic surgery prices are falling? Wonder why that could be.
Kind of like computer (and adjunct stuff) prices plummeting, even as technology and complexity skyrocket. Indeed. Thanks Mark. JE
Mark A Framness (Mon May 21 17:42:00 2007)
Jo, The majority of doctors, small business owners and the population prefer a Medicare-for-all plan, and while sending them to my web site is useful, it will prove you wrong. And Mark, using the "wait until it is free" argument is very contrived. Medicare has both a private side (19%) and public side (81%), and the private side is 12.5% more costly than the public side. So much for private competition being less costly than the public side. And I would advise anybody considering Medicare public (Advantage) to think very carefully before making that plunge. See this article.
Jack Lohman (Tue May 22 07:23:18 2007)
If you believe you enjoy a "health care right," I only ask how do you plan to exercise that right? Ultimately, your 'right' requires action or money from another. Are you willing to enslave your doctor, commanding him around at the barrel of a gun and deny his livelihood? How else do you command someone to fulfill your "right." Oh, you'll just let the government do that for you on your behalf. What's the difference?
If someone else has to pay for it, you are not exercising a right. You're a burden on your fellow man.
The Natural Right of Freedom of the Press means someone can publish foolhardy editorials at their expense all day long. In the Journal Sentinel's case, fortunately, we cannot be required to read them.
Brian Heyer (Tue May 22 01:30:46 2007)
Clearly, the right-wingers don't seem to be very good at math. Get this: You are already paying for a national single-payer system, you just aren't getting it.
16% of GDP with poorer outcomes than in other countries that have true single payer. The World Health Organization ranks Canada as 5th, France as 1st, and the US as 37th. If you don't trust WHO look at the recent Commonwealth Fund rankings, and if you don't trust them check out Johns Hopkins studies. And if you don't trust them, well, keep paying 31% more for the inflated bureaucracy. They need your money.
Jack Lohman (Tue May 22 09:30:46 2007)
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