# Is healthcare a right?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 17, 2011, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188 "2011-05-17T08:15:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 12

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188/221 "2011-05-24T15:31:57Z")

</div>

> [@Cheesesteak](#):
>
> I guess I’m not posting angry enough, Novelty, because I think our system sucks. What I meant to get across was that it’s not just expensive to treat rare cancers, every type of medical care becomes a problem when you don’t have insurance or money to spare. Not only are you personally responsible for all of the costs, our costs are generally much higher than in UHC countries.

d’oh! don’t worry Cheesesteak. I understand you perfectly well. I was being sarcastic in my answers. I know you think it sucks and I do too.  
Apologies if I wasn’t clear.

And Evil Captor? Apologies to you as well. My comments about

> [@](#):
>
> Good job that there are plenty of reasonably priced insurance options that people can afford and that cover all your expenses and mean you don’t have to worry about being bankrupt by illness.

Were total sarcasm,  
I didn’t think anyone would take it any other way but of course I realise that exactly those comments are put forward in all seriousness every time this is debated. I should have made my sarcasm clearer.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188/222 "2011-05-24T15:37:31Z")

</div>

Rights do not exist. What do exist are privileges which some governments grand, while others do not. In the United States one has the privilege to criticize the government. Do not try it in North Korea, however.

There is nothing revolutionary about the U.S. government extending health care to everyone. It is an extension of the public sector of the economy which began with public education.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188/223 "2011-05-24T16:03:26Z")

</div>

But there are responsibilities. Does a nation owe a safety net including health care to its citizens? Should it have unemployment insurance ? Should it have Social Security?  
In America the right wing answers ,no. They are greedy, selfish and never have enough money and power. Many other industrial nations feel differently.  
What is wrong with taking care of those in your country who are in trouble? Every society has people who are sick . Many feel we should help them.  
Some live in mansions and plot ways to take everything they can from the poor and middle class. They never have enough.  
That is America. It could be a much better place.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-healthcare-a-right/582188.md?page=11)