Health Care in the U.S.

[Grandma-RN]

Hello.

Do you favor health care is a right or health care is a privildege?

I feel health care should be a right. Granted, even then, some will not seek medical care in the primary stage. Monies for this is a big question too.

Overall, what is your take?

[SoldierNurse]

Health care should be a right! At least, it is in the military.

[OldSquidNewNurse]

Health care should be a right! At least, it is in the military.

It works in the military because your rank doesn't matter. If you can save five E1-E5 or one O4 you save the five. It doesn't work that way outside the military. That's the issue. Money flooding into curing diseases when a good portion of the population cannot get in to see a healthcare provider.

[RNCMSN]

Healthcare is a privilege. One that some feel they are entitled to, some have the right to access (which is completely different). Because we, most us, who live in the U.S., are used to essentially being able to get anything we desire, we feel that healthcare should be a right. We have the right to live. The quality of that life is determined by many, many factors.

ducking for cover.

[njohnso4]

Touchy subject!!
I'm not sure I've come to a conclusion myself I guess I just don't see it as black and white.
I agree with RNCMSN that their are many factors contributing to this issue.
But I'm still leaning towards healthcare being a right.
Why should it be a privilege for only the rich?!
At the same time why should I have to pay for someone elses healthcare because they have to buy an ipod or an xbox or a nicer car instead of health insurance.

Theres plenty of hardworking people that get crapped on by insurance companies also.

Ideally I would like to see more money spent on prevention so we could save money in the long run....A stitch in time....

I suppose my final thought is this... If we are already paying for some to have health insurance/coverage through my tax money, why not level the playing field and just pay for everyones It seems the middle class is burdened with heavy taxes and with the responsibility of providing their own insurance

I do hate the thought of more taxes though.....

I'm rambling

[RNCMSN]

Touchy subject!!
I'm not sure I've come to a conclusion myself I guess I just don't see it as black and white.
I agree with RNCMSN that their are many factors contributing to this issue.
But I'm still leaning towards healthcare being a right.
Why should it be a privilege for only the rich?!
At the same time why should I have to pay for someone elses healthcare because they have to buy an ipod or an xbox or a nicer car instead of health insurance.

Theres plenty of hardworking people that get crapped on by insurance companies also.

Ideally I would like to see more money spent on prevention so we could save money in the long run....A stitch in time....

I suppose my final thought is this... If we are already paying for some to have health insurance/coverage through my tax money, why not level the playing field and just pay for everyones It seems the middle class is burdened with heavy taxes and with the responsibility of providing their own insurance

I do hate the thought of more taxes though.....

I'm rambling

no you are not rambling. This is a touchy subject. Access, again being the key word, should not be only for the rich. But government provided healthcare as an entitlement to all is socialized medicine. It means higher taxes ss you well say. Which then means that those that have more, be they rich or not, will have to pay for those that don't. You cannot have both. The best thing that can be done is to promote healthy lifestyles, something that we do have the right to have and as people can choose. There is too much crap, meaning bad things, that people can easily indulge, overindulge in etc., ruining their health.
I type this as I lay like a lump all day. If we all lived healthy, eat right, exercise, avoid cigs, excessive alcohol...you get the idea, the medical needs of the population would decline.
ah to live in Nirvana.
no easy solution. Good discussion.

[Grandma-RN]

It works in the military because your rank doesn't matter. If you can save five E1-E5 or one O4 you save the five. It doesn't work that way outside the military. That's the issue. Money flooding into curing diseases when a good portion of the population cannot get in to see a healthcare provider.

[color="green"] "Money flooding into curing diseases when a good portion of the population cannot get in to see a healthcare provider."[/green]

Very good point.

I really don't see why it would be that difficult to divide the monies for this one cause into, two.

[tclema]

I believe it is a Right. Nobody should have to die or suffer, because they can't afford healthcare. At the same time, it is a Privilege. If it is freely available, people start abusing the system and run for every little boo-boo to a Healthcare provider and take time and resources from the ones who need it.
That happened in Germany. Now Germany still has healthcare available to everyone (employer and employee pay each half, or self employed pay for themselves or unemployed the Government pays) but we have Copays and limits to prescriptions (with exemptions of course).

[SoldierNurse]

Healthcare is a privilege. One that some feel they are entitled to, some have the right to access (which is completely different). Because we, most us, who live in the U.S., are used to essentially being able to get anything we desire, we feel that healthcare should be a right. We have the right to live. The quality of that life is determined by many, many factors.

ducking for cover.

So, what about the children of poverty level parents? The parents may be lazy but do we have the children suffer for it by refusing them healthcare?

[SoldierNurse]

It works in the military because your rank doesn't matter. If you can save five E1-E5 or one O4 you save the five. It doesn't work that way outside the military. That's the issue. Money flooding into curing diseases when a good portion of the population cannot get in to see a healthcare provider.

Please elaborate. I'm not understanding your example/rationale? BTW, I'm not referring to the battlefield. I'm referring to CONUS healthcare for active duty & retired military.