Paul Sanchez
Health insurance is a complex and contentious topic, with strong arguments for and against its status as a human right. While some people advocate for health insurance as a fundamental right, guaranteed by the government, others argue that it is not a right but a good or service. This perspective highlights the distinction between the right to pursue health care and the right to receive health care services. The cost of health insurance and the impact of government involvement in the market are also central to the debate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Healthcare is a basic need, not a right | Healthcare is a need that everyone is free to pursue, but no one owes it to anyone |
| Confusion between insurance and healthcare | Insurance is not healthcare, and equating the two may be rooted in American exceptionalism |
| Insurance companies profit from denial of services | Insurance companies only make money if they do not pay claims |
| ACA and Burwell decision | The ACA and Burwell decision have improved health statistics, but they are not the same as healthcare |
| Death rate due to lack of healthcare | Three people died every 30 minutes due to lack of healthcare before the ACA, and this rate has decreased since |
| Cost barriers | People were shocked by the codification of cost barriers by the ACA |
| Denial of access to healthcare | Market-based systems deny access to needed healthcare |
| Inability to pay premiums | Premiums of $240 per month with additional out-of-pocket costs of $6,000 per year are common, and these costs inhibit access to healthcare |
| Discrimination in fees | People are asked to pay more based on their health status |
| Government-provided insurance | Medicaid is a government-provided insurance for people over 65 |
| Employer-sponsored insurance | The most common source of coverage for working-age Americans is employer-sponsored insurance |
| Medicare for All | Only the Green Party candidate supported Medicare for All in the 2020 election |
| Public opinion | 57% of Americans supported government-ensured healthcare in 2022, but there is a stark partisan divide |
| Support for private insurance | 53% of Americans preferred a private insurance-based system in 2022 |
| Individual mandates | Some states have individual mandates for health insurance, and non-compliance can result in financial penalties |
| High medical costs without insurance | Lack of insurance can lead to high out-of-pocket medical costs and bankruptcy |
| Limited access to healthcare | Lack of insurance can result in reduced access to healthcare services due to cost concerns |
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What You'll Learn
Healthcare is a basic need, not a right
Healthcare is a basic human need, not a right. While the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights claims that everyone has a right to healthcare, there is a significant difference between a need and a right. Healthcare is a need that everyone should be free to pursue. However, this does not mean that someone else owes us healthcare.
The right to health for all people means that everyone should have access to the healthcare services they require, when and where they need them, without facing financial difficulties. Unfortunately, the current healthcare system in the United States falls short of providing this access. The system is market-based, and access to healthcare is often denied due to insurance companies' profit motives. This results in people enrolled in insurance plans still being unable to obtain the necessary healthcare. The situation is even worse for those who cannot afford insurance premiums, facing barriers to accessing care due to high costs.
The issue of high healthcare costs is often attributed to the false claim that "healthcare is a right." This claim has led to excessive government spending on healthcare, causing the bills to grow disproportionately. However, it is important to understand that equating healthcare insurance with healthcare access is misleading. Healthcare insurance does not guarantee healthcare, as insurance companies profit when they do not pay claims. Thus, the focus should be on ensuring universal access to healthcare services, not just insurance coverage.
The United States is unique among advanced nations in not guaranteeing basic healthcare as a right. This contradicts the nation's values of fairness, equal opportunity, and the pursuit of the American Dream. While the Declaration of Independence grants an unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it does not imply that others are obligated to sustain our lives. Healthcare, as a positive right, places obligations on others to provide something, which is not explicitly listed in the founding documents. Instead, it is a need that individuals should be free to pursue without infringement.
While healthcare is not a right, it is a fundamental human need. Access to healthcare services is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. However, the current healthcare system in the United States falls short of ensuring this access, resulting in negative consequences for millions of Americans. To uphold the nation's values, there is a critical need for equal access to healthcare, treating it as a basic human need rather than a right.
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Confusion between insurance and healthcare
There is a clear distinction between health insurance and healthcare, but the two are often confused and treated as synonymous. This confusion is particularly prevalent in the United States, where the government perpetuates the myth that insurance is a right by measuring the success of healthcare reform by the number of people insured. This confusion has serious implications, as equating insurance with healthcare obscures the fact that healthcare is a basic human right, while insurance is a financial tool that covers or subsidizes the cost of healthcare.
The distinction between health insurance and healthcare is important to understand. Health insurance is a financial contract where an insurance company agrees to cover or subsidize healthcare expenses in exchange for premiums. In contrast, healthcare refers to the strategic approach to ensuring the health needs of an individual or group, focusing on the delivery of care. Healthcare includes services such as screenings, vaccinations, and treatments, which may or may not be covered by insurance.
The confusion between insurance and healthcare can lead to negative consequences for individuals. For example, individuals may delay or avoid seeking healthcare due to confusion about their insurance plans or the associated costs. This can result in worse health outcomes and even death. Additionally, when individuals are denied healthcare due to insurance coverage restrictions, it highlights the fallacy of equating insurance with healthcare.
Furthermore, the market-based healthcare system in the United States, where insurance companies profit by denying claims, creates barriers to accessing healthcare. High insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays can make it difficult for individuals, especially the poorest, to afford healthcare. This inhibits their right to health and creates a system of inequity.
To address this confusion and its negative impacts, it is essential to recognize that healthcare is a basic human right. This means that individuals should have access to healthcare services regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. While insurance can provide financial protection against high medical costs, it should not be conflated with the right to healthcare. By distinguishing between insurance and healthcare, individuals can make more informed choices that align with their needs and better advocate for their right to health.
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Insurance companies profit from denial of care
There are several arguments against the notion of medical insurance as a right. One perspective maintains that equating health insurance with healthcare perpetuates the myth that insurance is a human right. This confusion has led to the government measuring healthcare reform success by insured individuals rather than actual access to healthcare services.
Media investigations have revealed that insurance companies are increasingly using technology to deny payment of medical claims and pressure their physicians to deny care. Some companies incentivize doctors to employ a "click and close" policy, promoting speedy reviews and resulting in wrongful denial of care.
A report by Premier revealed that hospitals and health systems spend $19.7 billion annually to adjudicate with corporate insurance companies that deny patient care. About 15% of all reimbursement claims submitted to private payers are initially denied, and more than half of these denials are ultimately overturned, but only after costly appeals. This results in longer hospital stays, increased expenses, and risks to care availability.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a game-changer in pushing for transparency and addressing the exclusion of people with pre-existing conditions. However, consumers remain uncertain about their right to appeal coverage denials, and half of those who challenged their insurers reported delays in attaining care.
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Cost barriers inhibit responsible healthcare usage
While health insurance is often considered a right, it is not the same as healthcare. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of people facing cost barriers to healthcare, but these barriers still exist and prevent responsible healthcare usage.
The ACA has helped to reduce the number of people facing cost barriers to healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable groups. Before the ACA, 9.6% of adults faced cost barriers to medical care, 3% to mental health care, 15% to dental care, and 9.9% to prescription medications. After the ACA, these numbers decreased to 7% for medical care, 2.4% for mental health care, 11.7% for dental care, and 7% for prescriptions.
However, cost barriers still exist for many, especially those who are unmarried, living in poverty, and adults of color. Even with the ACA, living under 200% of the poverty line is the biggest predictor of accessing services for US adults. Additionally, Black and African American adults continue to experience higher odds of cost barriers to services compared to white adults.
The high cost of healthcare and insurance can lead to people delaying or skipping needed medical care. This can have detrimental health consequences. Premiums, deductibles, and co-pays can be discriminatory, as people are asked to pay more simply because they are sick. These costs can inhibit the responsible use of healthcare by putting up barriers to accessing care.
The issue of cost barriers to healthcare is complex and multifaceted. While the ACA has helped to reduce cost barriers for some, it has not gone far enough to eliminate these barriers for vulnerable and marginalized groups. As such, cost barriers continue to inhibit responsible healthcare usage for many individuals.
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Healthcare is not listed in founding documents
The founding documents of the United States, including the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, do not explicitly mention healthcare as a right. The Constitution does not contain the words "health," "healthcare," "medical care," or "medicine." While the Constitution does include rights to privacy, bodily integrity, and the refusal of medical care, it does not guarantee a right to healthcare.
The absence of healthcare in the founding documents has significant implications for healthcare policy and legislation in the United States. Without a constitutional mandate, the provision of healthcare falls primarily to the legislative and executive branches of the government. This has resulted in a complex and fragmented healthcare system, with a mix of federal and state-based programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and EMTALA.
EMTALA, enacted by Congress in 1986, guarantees emergency medical attention for individuals arriving at hospitals that accept Medicare. However, it only covers emergency care and does not provide universal access to healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), while expanding coverage and improving health statistics, has also been criticized for not fully addressing the issue of universal access to healthcare.
The interpretation of the founding documents and the absence of healthcare as a listed right have led to differing viewpoints on the role of government in providing healthcare. Some argue that healthcare is a basic need that individuals are free to pursue, but it is not the government's responsibility to provide it. Others, including President Obama, believe that healthcare is a human right, which the government should guarantee.
The debate surrounding healthcare as a right remains ongoing, with legal challenges and policy discussions continuing to shape the healthcare landscape in the United States. While there have been efforts to increase access to healthcare, the absence of a clear constitutional right to healthcare in the founding documents has influenced the development of the current healthcare system and the ongoing discussions around healthcare reform.
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Frequently asked questions
Medical insurance is not a right because it is not listed in any of the founding documents. It is a basic need that everyone is free to pursue. The government cannot infringe on our right to pursue health care, but no one owes us health care.
Health insurance is not health care. Health insurance companies only make money if they do not pay claims. We need access to the medical office, not the insurance office.
If you require medical care and you do not have health insurance, you need to pay for all of it out of pocket. This could be very expensive, and some people have to declare bankruptcy because of their medical bills. Depending on where you live, you may also have to pay a penalty on your income tax.
