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Simply Stated, healthcare is a constitutional right [1]

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Date: 2023-08-01  

Despite spending almost three times more on healthcare than other advanced countries, the United States still struggles to provide better health outcomes that enhance quality of life and prolong lives.

In addition to exorbitant health insurance company profits ($31 billion in 2021, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), hospital profits (More than $100 billion in 2019, according to the American Hospital Association), and annual salaries as high as $70,000 to $100,000+ for nurses and as high as $500,000 to $1,000,000+ for doctors, one of every four dollars spent on healthcare is squandered on ineffective, overpriced, unnecessary, or wasteful services.

So, we spend significantly more for significantly less.

Simply stated, what can we do?

We can make healthcare in America a right, not a privilege, by establishing a national health insurance program that provides complete coverage for vital services, including but not necessarily limited to dental, hearing, home and long-term care, in-patient and out-patient care, mental health care, prescription drugs, reproductive and maternity care, and vision care with no copays, deductibles, networks, premiums, or surprise bills.

Sounds good, but let’s first ask the obvious question.

Should we establish a national health insurance program to ensure the American people in this and future generations will be as healthy, happy, and productive as possible?

Since the Preamble to the Constitution says that the purpose of the federal government is “to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,” it seems clear that we are constitutionally obligated to do so, aren’t we?

Okay, then, how do we pay for national health insurance?

We tax the wealthiest corporations and individuals who benefit most from federal spending on climate change, community and regional development, criminal justice, education, employment, green energy, infrastructure, national defense, research and development, social security, social services and training, transportation, veterans’ benefits and services, and other discretionary, mandatory, and supplemental spending categories based on how much it would cost to guarantee every citizen’s constitutional right to efficient, effective healthcare.

Enough said in 373 words?

After all, a problem simply stated can be a problem simply resolved, can’t it?

Voters4America.Com

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/1/2184644/-Simply-Stated-healthcare-is-a-constitutional-right

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