HEALTHCARE, A RIGHT OR PRIVILEGE 1

Healthcare, a Right or Privilege

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Healthcare, a Right or Privilege

Healthcare is important in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases,

injuries, and illnesses. As so, it is important in enhancing and maintains the quality of life of

the population making it one of the most important aspects of human life. In the United

States, there has been a debate on whether healthcare is a privilege or a right. There is

evidence that some people of population are privileged to access and use healthcare services

as dictated by accessibility, affordability, and other factors. It is also important to recognize

the need for the government to protect its citizens from harm including illnesses. According

to Brewer (2018), healthcare can be a right or a privilege based on how a person views a

right, the government’s role in enforcing such rights, and whether healthcare is something

that all people deserve. While there is a debate over the privilege or the right aspect of

healthcare still continues to exist, there is a need to recognize that health is both a privilege

and a right but this depends on the scenario.

With the US government having the responsibility to protect its citizens, healthcare

can be considered as a right of the citizens. Additionally, as noted by Kaufman (2018), poor

health can keep people from caring for their families, going to work, and participation in

community, state, and federal obligations. As part of the national government’s human rights

obligation, respecting, protecting, and fulfilling individual’s wellbeing is important. As key

contributors to an economy, citizens have a right to protection which may include the

protection of their health. For instance, with Covid-19, the government was compelled to

ensure that the public is protected by initiating containment and control measures such as

mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, and isolation. These measures would

have not been imposed if the government did not owe the public a right to protection.

While not everybody has access to healthcare services, this makes it a privilege as

only the privileged individuals and populations have access to quality and safe healthcare
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services. Health insurance is one factor that makes healthcare a privilege as only people with

health insurance or who have the capacity to pay for healthcare services can access and use

these services. In fact, different administrations have portrayed different views about health.

The Obama administration through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) emphasized the health

aspect as a right by ensuring and implementing policies that will make every American have

health insurance guaranteeing access and use of healthcare services (Bauchner, 2017). On the

other hand, the Trump administration sought to repeal ACA expressing an explicit belief that

healthcare is a privilege and should not be forced to people who cannot pay for it. The same

conviction is evident with the current Biden administration where health is considered a right

and not a privilege.

Reconciling the two sides is therefore important with healthcare providers being at the

center of the change. The healthcare environment has changed to recognize the differences in

the population’s health care needs, recognize the role of the government, and acknowledge

the different preferences by different groups. While it is a privilege for a population or an

individual to receive the required health care services, the government has a responsibility to

protecting the population. For instance, with Covid-19, the government has instituted

measures that are legal to control the spread as a strategy to safeguard the population.
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References

Bauchner, H. (2017). Health care in the United States: a right or a privilege. JAMA, 317(1),

29-29. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.19687

Brewer, B. (2018). Healthcare debates: is healthcare a right or a privilege? MHA Online.

https://www.mhaonline.com/blog/healthcare-debates-right-or-privilege

Kaufman, J. (2018). Heath care is a right, not a privilege. The Kenan Institute for Ethics at

Duke University. https://kenan.ethics.duke.edu/health-care-is-a-right-not-a-privilege/