Why health care?

With all the debate about the health care situation currently in the United States, I figure I would give my two cents on the justification for universal health care as a human right. I know the issue is complex and involve a multibillion dollar industry that spans many fields, so I cannot expect to solve the issue in a single post, let alone my lifetime! However, I do think that the idea of universal health care is justified for several reasons. With the correct policy and cooperation between insurers and health care providers, health care reform can happen within the next few years!

Some may claim by granting citizens universal health care to every citizen, we are decreasing the motivation for hard work due to the guarantee of health care. I think this viewpoint could not be further from the truth. The issue is that whether someone works hard and is motivated or not, typically health care is not the first item on the list for expenses. People want to make money for a slew of reasons but paying for large health care premiums is not one of them! My girlfriend, Stephanie, is in optometry school currently and tells me all the time how much people take their vision for granted. Not only do people take vision for granted, but they also want exams, medication and glasses for next to nothing. Hence, people in general want either free or extremely discounted (coupon mongers) health care services. However, if quality slips due to anything, the American consumer is voraciously demanding and will complain to no end. Something must be done!


Another aspect of health care is the notion that it is a privilege not a right. I have to disagree with that statement. If you are an American citizen, you are guaranteed many rights under the Constitution and famously from the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal." Of course, that quote must be taken in a sense that politically all men are created equal as everyone comes from a different background. Having a different origin with different views and ideologies can skew people into different directions. Additionally, people are not created equally in immune systems and risk of disease. No matter how hard one might work to prevent disease, there is always a possibility of sickness. Sickness can be completely random as well; a perfectly healthy individual can quickly succumb to cancer or an aneurysm.

Since sickness and disease can affect anyone indeterminately, it destroys the competition scale of capitalism in a way. Even the strongly motivated could succumb to disease and fall well behind both in career and in monetary standing. I wish that more Republicans would see health care in this light and they could seize the opportunity to forge change. In Taiwan, the conservative party essentially "stole" health care reform from the liberal party and now represents a majority. Something as essential as medical care should be guaranteed to all citizens of this country and I fully support health care reform to make this change.