# Is Health Care a right, and why?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-health-care-a-right-and-why/515124>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 26, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-health-care-a-right-and-why/515124 "2009-10-26T01:34:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-health-care-a-right-and-why/515124/2 "2009-10-26T01:38:43Z")

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> [@cosmosdan](#):
>
> So, is health care a right or simply a smart compassionate choice by a modern society?

How about a fair exchange of goods and services? The government benefits from a healthy population. Therefore, it is in the government’s interest to keep the population healthy. People pay taxes to the government. Therefore, they should receive things in return. Since health care is in their interest, then one of the benefits of being a citizen should be health care.

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