Debate regarding whether health care is a right or a privilege. What are your thoughts about the debate regarding whether health care is a right or a privilege? How has the changing health care environment impacted your practice?
There is much debate surrounding the question of whether health care is a right or a privilege. Those who believe that it is a right argue that everyone should have access to basic medical care, regardless of their ability to pay. They assert that good health is essential for leading a productive life and that denying people access to health care is effectively denying them their human rights.
Privilege proponents counter that health care is not an inalienable right like freedom of speech or religion, and that providing free or low-cost health care to everyone would be prohibitively expensive. They argue that people should be responsible for their own health care costs, and that those who cannot afford it should either get help from family or friends or go without.
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you believe that health care is a right or a privilege? Why? Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
>> Health care is a human right because good health is essential to leading a productive life. <<
This is the position of those who believe that health care is a right. They argue that everyone should have access to basic medical care, regardless of their ability to pay. Good health is essential for leading a productive life, they say, and denying people access to health care is effectively denying them their human rights.
>> Health care is a privilege, not a right, because providing free or low-cost health care to everyone would be prohibitively expensive. <<
This is the position of those who believe that health care is a privilege. They argue that it is not an inalienable right like freedom of speech or religion, and that providing free or low-cost health care to everyone would be prohibitively expensive.
The changing health care environment has impacted my practice in a few ways. First, I feel like it has made me much more conscientious of the costs of the services that I provide. I am always looking for ways to save money without compromising the quality of care that my patients receive.
Second, the Affordable Care Act has had a significant impact on the insurance plans that my patients have and, as a result, the way that they pay for their care. I have had to become much more knowledgeable about different insurance plans in order to best serve my patients.
Finally, the changing health care environment has made me more aware of the importance of preventive care. I now work to promote healthy lifestyle choices in my patients in order to prevent them from developing chronic health conditions that could be expensive to treat.