Healthcare is NOT a basic human right.

Nurses Activism

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If one were to read the Constitution one would realize that the Constitution does not grant anyone freedoms, liberties, or rights. The Constitution only protects freedoms, liberties, and rights from transgressions on part of the government. A right is something that is inherent to the individual, comes from that individual, and is maintained by the individual. You are born with such rights like the right to speak freely, the only thing that can be done to that right is to have it infringed. No one can grant a right to another, only limit or impede the exercise of that right.

Healthcare is a human invention that does not exist in the natural environment. Only through the work of others and through the taking of resources from one party and giving to another does healthcare exist. You cannot force someone to give effort and resources to another and call that a right. In the absence of human intervention the individual would live their lives and succumb to the natural forces which would act upon their bodies.

Do I think we should provide preventative care and basic primary care? Sure. Do I think that we can? Maybe. Do I think that healthcare is a basic human right? Absolutely not.

Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Aimed at the original post. Shoulda made that clear. My bad.

Your basic premise is: "Healthcare is a human invention that does not exist in the natural environment." This can only be true if humans don't exist in the natural environment. Since humans clearly do exist in the natural environment, have evolved into creatures capable of controlling their environment, and "invented" healthcare which I would argue was a matter of evolution and survival, your entire argument is invalid.

Your argument would mean that everything in existence is natural. I do not think many people would agree with that.

Is a B52 carrying a thermonuclear weapon natural? Is a Rubbermaid bin natural?

Mandra, being pessimistic about the Affordable Care Act is not the same as denying that the U.S. needs healthcare reform. I can only speak for myself, but I doubt that I am alone when I say that the U.S. healthcare non-system is badly in need of major changes, but I do not think that the ACA will produce the needed changes. As for it being a first step, first steps are only good when the step is taken in the right dirrection. I think that, in the case of the ACA, we have committed ourselves to an ineffective and costly solution that will lock us onto a path that we will regret. I sincerely hope that I am wrong, and if future outcomes prove that I am wrong I will be very happy.

Amen, brother!

We are all however, to be treated fairly and equally in here in the U.S.A, but sadly we are not. I don't think anything in our health care industry can be fixed until pharmaceutical companies and big business' are no longer able to profit from it. People are getting rich off of people being sick and that isn't right.

Exactly. They need to operate at a (financial) loss for a few decades, just as our government is doing and has done for a long time. Only then will they learn their lesson. :yes:

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Right, and when they do, they will go out of business. Then the government will take over. Then they will be inefficient about it, as the government seems to do so darn well, and run it further into the ground, accumulate more debt for our kids to deal with, etc.

Did you go into nursing because you just want everyone to be healthy, or because you want to be able to support yourself and your family? Most likely, both. I know I did. I love nursing, but wouldn't do it for minimum wage, that's for sure. If insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies do not have the financial incentive to keep providing services, they won't. I agree that there is corruption within the healthcare system and how it is run right now. But seriously, how can you think that the government taking over will not just be as much if not more corrupt?

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

The federal government administrated the medicare program with greater efficiency and lower overheads than the private insurance company administrated their programs.

When I became a nurse I started at less than $10/hr...my brother worked as a general laborer at the time and made quite a bit more money than me. I did not choose nursing for the pay.

Specializes in Med-Surg.
The federal government administrated the medicare program with greater efficiency and lower overheads than the private insurance company administrated their programs.

When I became a nurse I started at less than $10/hr...my brother worked as a general laborer at the time and made quite a bit more money than me. I did not choose nursing for the pay.

Theres a difference between choosing nursing for the money or wanting to make a living wage off of it.

Oh, and without knowing WHEN you started nursing, that salary does not really mean much.

The federal government administrated the medicare program with greater efficiency and lower overheads than the private insurance company administrated their programs.

When I became a nurse I started at less than $10/hr...my brother worked as a general laborer at the time and made quite a bit more money than me. I did not choose nursing for the pay.

In most places, it is a insurance company who is administering Medicare for the government. When it is said that Medicare is administered more efficient, apples to apples are not being compared.

"What about the claim that Medicare's administrative costs are only 2 percent, compared to 10 percent to 15 percent for private insurers? The problem with this comparison is that it includes the cost of marketing and selling insurance as well as the costs of collecting premiums on the private side, but ignores the cost of collecting taxes on the public side. It also ignores the substantial administrative cost that Medicare shifts to the providers of care."

Is Medicare More Efficient Than Private Insurance? - Health Affairs Blog

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Feel free to minimize the negative affect that for profit health insurance has had on our health delivery system...

Specializes in ER, ICU, Administration (briefly).

It also talks about providing for the general welfare.

Public health affects us all, whether in terms of communicable diseases or in terms of an epidemic of obesity which is driving the cost of healthcare over 17% of GDP.

We would save 1 trillion dollars a year if we could just go back to 1980 obesity levels. There, no more health care crisis.

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Our federal government supports other things that are not basic rights...like right to bear arms, right to freedom of speech, etc.

Yes, but then the processed food industry would be unhappy and send their army of lobbyists to put a stop to that nonsense. lol. Healthcare depends on sick people to drive profits. Big business drives government. Therein lies the problem. Get rid of lobbyists, make it illegal to buy votes.

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