Is Healthcare a universal and inalienable right?


1. The Range of Ideas

Yes. Maybe. No.


Yes, healthcare is absolutely a basic right of every person, and society is ethically and morally bound to provide healthcare for everyone, no matter what. No one should ever be denied healthcare, and affording healthcare should never seriously affect anyone’s financial security.


Everyone should have healthcare available to them, but the individual must take responsibility for acquiring coverage and paying at least some of the burden of this right. If someone is able to work, then they should be responsible for contributing to their healthcare, but if they are unable to work for a legitimate reason, then it is the responsibility of civilized society to provide healthcare to these vulnerable persons. In cases of catastrophic healthcare services, which result in hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars of bills, society should have a system in place to protect such individuals and families from having to bear the entire burden of these costs.


No, healthcare is not a right, but rather a privilege and responsibility. There are no guarantees in life, even liberty, freedom, and justice. These rights are bought with a heavy price. Therefore, if an individual wants healthcare, then they must take individual responsibility to get that care. Vulnerable people who, for legitimate reasons, cannot get healthcare coverage should receive this care through the contributions of general society. But anyone who is able-bodied must take personal responsibility for their healthcare, including the financial burdens that come with healthcare. Resources are limited and society cannot afford to provide healthcare free to everyone. If healthcare requires a family to make financial sacrifices, like leasing an apartment instead of buying a house, or having 1 instead of 2 cars, then that is the burden they must bear if they want healthcare coverage. If someone takes on huge debts for healthcare services, then they might have a monthly healthcare bill for the rest of their lives, which is the individual cost and burden of healthcare coverage. Society will still end up picking up most of the tab in such cases, but the individual will also bear responsibility and feel the real value and impact of these services.


Some questions to help you get started.

What does the bible say about personal responsibility?

Does the U.S. Constitution put forth the idea or philosophy that peoples’ health is the responsibility of the federal government?

Is healthcare the responsibility of the states?

Did Jesus promote the idea of peoples’ health and well being as a right and responsibility of humanity?

Is it fiscally plausible to provide healthcare to everyone indefinitely?

Is healthcare a moral and ethical responsibility of society?

Do individuals bear any responsibility for their own healthcare?

Does taking the responsibility of healthcare away from the individual and making it a universal right given by the federal or state government improve society, fiscal responsibility, and advance civilized society?

2. Dogmas, Faslehoods, & Doesn’t Matter.

Tear into this discussion & separate out everything that’s untrue & doesn’t matter. Yes, this is probably going to hurt a little.

Dogmas absolutely should and must go here without question.

3. Facts & Truths.

What matters, what’s relevant, what’s real?
Challenge what you thought you knew & look at what actually is.

The truth is, we’re working on it.

4. Essentials of Faith

What in this dicussion, if anything, is absolutely necessary for salvation?

Essentially, we’ve almost got it done.


Take a deep breath, you’re done with the discussion!
But if you like, here’s a thought just for fun.

In the afterlife, will we still bear the scars and other physical signs of our current life?