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Emma Swanson

Mrs. Cramer

College Comp. 1

14 April 2022

Health Care is a Basic Human Right

The definition of health care states that it is, “the organized provision of medical care to

individuals or a community.” It has been debated for decades whether there should be a universal

health care option in the United States. It is important for all individuals to have heath care, so

when they are sick, they are comfortable to go the hospital and get help rather than having one

problem lead to the next, in hopes to dodge the never-ending expenses. Health care is a basic

human right because a universal option would lower costs, protect the human right to health, and

create equal care for everyone regardless of social and economic status.

To start off, a universal healthcare option would lower costs for everyone. The journal,

“Health Care Mandates” states, “Going to doctors and hospitals without insurance is extremely

expensive, often costing far more than most people can afford.” The quote shows how expensive

it is to receive proper medical treatment. These high costs make the decision difficult when

deciding whether a symptom could be a common cold, that could be treated with over-the-

counter medication, or something more serious that requires a doctor’s diagnosis. The same

journal also shares how the uninsured drive-up rates for the insured (Health). For example, when

an uninsured person goes into the hospital for treatment and are unable to pay their bill, the cost

gets divided up to insurance companies. Then, the insurers must raise their clients’ rates, so the

cost of insurance would increase, causing the insured to pay more even if the clients are not
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affected directly. The insured must pay the higher costs so the hospital can continue to have to

resources and funding to properly treat patients, like the insured if they were to need medical

help. If there was a universal health care option, where everyone had to pay the same rates

regardless of age, employment status, gender, race, etc. the rates of insurance would stay

constant. Ultimately, a universal health care plan would provide everyone with insurance so

there would be no one to drive-up costs, which would create a consistent, lower, and equal rate

for everyone.

Contradicting the point above, according to the “Health and Human Rights” article it

shares that healthcare is a relatively minor contributor to the overall health of a human being

(Mann). Although that is not always true. The type of health insurance and coverage a person has

can determine the care they receive. Other opposing arguments also state that the people without

insurance make the insured and healthy pay higher tax rates. However, if there was a universal

plan everyone would be paying the same rate. If everyone was covered by same insurance and

had the same rate, there would be no need for the insured to compensate for the uninsured.

Therefore, an equal plan for everyone would invalidate the common misconceptions and finally

create a health care system where everyone involved would be content.

In addtion, a universal health care option would protect the right to health. During his

presidency, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared his four essential freedoms, one of them being

“freedom from want.” In his definition of “freedom from want” he states that it also covers, “the

right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.” (Camalt

and Zaidi) The quote above shows how important it is for people to protect their health. The

President wanted every person in America to receive the treatment they needed to ensure long,
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happy lives. By protecting the right to health, it will shift health care professionals focus to the

well-being of their patients, rather than the efficiency and cost of procedures.

Lastly, a universal health care option would create equal care for everyone. For example,

say a patient has the opportunity to get a lifesaving operation. However, the patient does not have

insurance and would be unable to pay the never-ending medical bills, so they find a cheaper

option that is quick fix to their problem. The quick fix will fight off their symptoms or disease

for a while until it stops working and they end up in the same predicament again, wishing they

had just gotten the operation. The example above shows that although doctors do everything they

can help their patients, there are also rules they have to follow. Doctors understand that a hospital

is a business that needs to make money, and if they do operations or give prescriptions for free

without the patient or insurer covering the cost of them, there could not possibly be any funding

left over to keep the hospital running or for their salaries. The journal, “Protest of Doctors: a

Basic Human Right or an Ethical Dilemma” gives the example that if a patient is unable to pay

for the treatment at the time they need it, the patient would have to endure prolonged suffering,

damage to health, delay in treatment, and of loss financial resources since they are unwell and

unable to work (Abbasi). The statement above shares that immediate medical care is not

something that should be put off until a time that a patient is able to cover the cost of their

treatment or to a time that is convenient for them. In numerous cases, treatment means life or

death for patients which should make their health and medical care the number one priority

regardless of any other circumstances. If a universal health insurance option would be put in

place, it would regulate treatment by making sure every patient got the same, proper treatment.

All in all, health care is a basic human right because a universal option would lower

costs, protect the human right to health, and create equal care for everyone regardless of social
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and economic status. A universal option would benefit the general population because it would

create a constant rate for people of all races, ages, and gender. The universal option would allow

people to receive the adequate treatment to keep them being the best and healthiest versions of

themselves. Although Americans doubt the benefits of a universal option, a regulated health care

plan for everyone would guarantee the general welfare of the American people and create equal

costs and treatment for the healthy and the ailing.

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Works Cited

Abbasi, I.N. Protest of doctors: a basic human right or an ethical dilemma. BMC Med Ethics 15,

24 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6939-15-24

"Health Care Mandates." Issues & Controversies, Infobase, 16 Oct. 2009,

icof.infobase.com/articles/QXJ0aWNsZVRleHQ6MTYxMjA=. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.

Mann, Johnathan M. "Health and Human Rights." Protecting Human Rights Is Essential for

Promoting Health, Apr. 1996, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.312.7036.924. Accessed Apr.

1996.

Camalt, Jean, and Sarah Zaidi. "The Basic Right to Health Care Is the Unfinished Business of the

United States Government." Health Care, edited by Jan Grover, Greenhaven Press, 2007.

Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010450206/OVIC?u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=e3cb2a65. Accessed 13 Apr. 2022. Originally published as "Introduction,"

Center for Economic and Social Rights/cesr.org, 2004.