Question

We are the only industrialized nation without universal health care (and many non-industrialized nations such as Cuba have much better and more accessible care) We also spend more by many times over on health care than any other nation on earth. A major concern in this chapter is the tension between medicine as a right and medicine as a commodity as in America where we have a basically consumer, capitalist, fee for service system? How do you view this argument and why?

Answer 1

In my perspective, healthcare should be a fundamental right, and a nation should ensure that this basic need to its citizens is met. Everyone, at some point of their life, require some medical intervention or the other. The current healthcare system in the US would discourage those from low income backgrounds from visiting a physician when sick or getting a recommended test, treatment, or follow-up care. This practice would definitely increase their chances of moratality. Furthermore, when private companies are given reign over healthcare facilities, they are likely to maximise their profits. Inevitably, this would mean increased expense for the citizens.