Instructions
You are going to discuss Healthcare in terms of a current event. Your initial post and peer reply should each consist of approximately 150-200 words.
Part I (Original Post)
Issue to Consider – Single Payer Federal Government Administrative Taxpayer Funded Universal Healthcare in the United States as a Right of Citizenship.
Universal healthcare provides medical care to all citizens of a nation regardless of their ability to pay. Universal healthcare is a system that provides health insurance to all citizens, regardless of their ability to pay. Proponents of universal healthcare say it increases equality in a society and provides more affordable care. Critics say it can increase waiting times to get care or lowers the quality of healthcare and adds an unsustainable burden to federal spending through taxation or deficit spending.
Some researchers quibble about using phrases like single payer saying other terms are mor analytically useful. But the terminology of Singel Payer is often what the issue is named in the debates and news in the USA. This was especially an issue in the 2008 Presidential election of Barak Obama who with congress later passed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which is commonly known as “Obama Care.” There was many on the “left” who wanted a single payer government administrated system more like Canda or the United Kingdom. But the ACA is not a single payer system and there is opposition to it.
One version of a proposed universal coverage is “Medicare for all” – see https://jayapal.house.gov/2023/05/17/jayapal-dingell-sanders-introduce-medicare-for-all-with-record-number-of-house-cosponsors/Links to an external site.
There is great debate about covering resident aliens or undocumented aliens under law as a right. If residents are added in addition to citizens it will have additional cost implications.
General “Pros” as offered by proponents for universal health care single payer system as a right of (either citizenship or living in the boundaries of the United States)
General “Pros” as offered by proponents for universal health care single payer system as a right of (either citizenship or living in the boundaries of the United States)
General “Cons” as offered by opponents of universal health care single payer system as a right of (either citizenship or living in the boundaries of the United States)
Be sure to use these terms or concepts in your post and demonstrate through your “exegesis” of the readings or other materials your understanding of them
One benefit of universal healthcare is that it gives each citizen the ability to access healthcare services regardless of their ability to pay. From the point of view of those that think health care is a right this is a big reason or motivation.
One version of a proposed universal coverage is “Medicare for all” – see https://jayapal.house.gov/2023/05/17/jayapal-dingell-sanders-introduce-medicare-for-all-with-record-number-of-house-cosponsors/Links to an external site.
See A Bradely https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=939910af6feed501abbc7ed1ec63d38f08093d0dLinks to an external site.
There is argumentation that health care is not a right and should not be seen as a right see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1126951/Links to an external site.
http://afcm.org/hcinar_video.htmlLinks to an external site. By Leonard Peikoff
https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/health-care-is-not-a-right-and-socialized-medicine-is-not-only-impractical-its-also-immoral/Links to an external site.
https://www.dorfonlaw.org/2017/03/health-care-is-not-right-is-new-death.htmlLinks to an external site.
Explain the ideas of Positive and Negative rights as used by Ather Bradley
Give your best personal understanding of what a “right” is and what obligations either a positive or a negative right place on others in society (or should place on others in society)
Describe rights a right to action and contrast that with rights to a reward.
Give an ethical or moral reason for arguing for (or against) a single payer federal government tax-payer funded
One benefit is disconnecting / uncoupling health care provision from place of employment. This allows more work/job employer mobility. See: https://www.nextavenue.org/health-insurance-disconnect/Links to an external site.
People with quality health care through work realize their coverage will diminish.
During debates for the ACA these were ridiculed as “Cadillac Health Care Plans” negotiated by unions and that it would be fairer to give them up to make care more equal / equitable.
In your post explain why you are for or against health care provision through an employer.
Proponents say that it will reduce the cost of health care
Opponents say it will reduce the reimbursement rate to medical professionals – thus decreasing the number and quality of people willing to work in the medical professions and increasing the wait times.
In your post explain how you see the tradeoff between cost and quality availability (wait time) of health care and if overall you think it would be a lower cost / acceptable quality level with a universal single payer system or not.
Because primary care would be more available – health could increase, and costs might come down
Up front initial costs and logistics costs challenges disruptions
Address these issues in some way in your past showing you took it into account
Currently there are substantial disparities in health coverage by race, ethnicity and other demographic characteristics that would be made more equitable
Libertarians argue that there can be lest costly and disruptive remedies for reducing inequity
Address this in some way in your past showing you took it into account
As you are able – try to also integrate other thinkers and readings from earlier in the course.
Be sure to complete your original post by Wednesday your first peer reply by Friday, and all peer replies by Sunday.
Part II (Peer Reply)
Which TWO classmates’ posts stood out to you? Why? Be sure to engage the concept(s) and argument(s) your classmates present, rather than only agreeing or disagreeing with the substance of the post. You may reply to the instructor and that will count as a reply for the week. Describe and explain your thinking!
