Five Theses on Free Health Care

I would like to discuss the right to free health care within the U.S. as I have in a previous post and make a clear claim on this issue.

"How do we view Health Care?"

Proponents of this right say that no one in one of the richest nations on earth should go without health care. They argue that a right to health care would stop medical bankruptcies, improve public health, reduce overall health care spending, help small businesses, and that health care should be an essential government service. Opponents argue that a right to health care amounts to socialism and that it should be an individual 's responsibility, not the government 's role, to secure health care. They say that government provision of health care would decrease the quality and availability of health care and would lead to larger government debt and deficits.



1. [Policy Claim]
Despite the potential financial risks it may propose, the right to free health care should not be dismissed because in the long term it will reduce health care spending.

2. [Definition Claim]
Although popularly understood as a privilege, health care is a human right.

3. [Comparison Claim]
Although free health care can be characterized as an individual responsibility, free health care is no different from any other basic human right.

4. [Evaluation Claim]
Despite being a controversial issue, having free healthcare available to all people is the best way we can provide for and protect our people.

5. [Causal Claim]
While there is no doubt there will be risks and sacrifices our government will have to make to introduce this change, free health care will ultimately result in a net benefit for all people.

All of these claims have shaped my way of thinking on this topic by helping me take a stand on the issue and cause me to really think about why I think it is important. Do you have your own claims on the topic? If so, I would love to hear them!

Image Credit: "DESIGN: Healthcare Report" by Justin Ritmiller is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0