Should healthcare be free?

Access to healthcare is essential for our quality of life and longevity. But healthcare doesn't come cheap. Should individuals be forced to pay their own healthcare costs? Is healthcare an inalienable human right? What are the pros and cons of free healthcare?

No, healthcare shouldn't be free

The individual should be financially responsible for the services they use. This encourages them to make better health decisions, increases the quality of the health system, and leave the government with more money to spend on other things that matter.

Free healthcare leaves the healthiest footing the bill

Under a taxpayer-funded health system, the healthiest foot the bill for the unhealthiest.

Free healthcare means worse quality

It is impossible to have high-quality healthcare without paying high healthcare costs. Free healthcare will inevitably mean a sacrifice in quality.

Free healthcare disincentivizes making good choices

Under a health system that is free at the point of use, there is no financial incentive to make good health choices. It runs the risk of people seeking out danger because they will be taken care of it anything goes wrong.

Free healthcare is unnecessary

Free healthcare isn't necessary when most people can already afford to pay for their healthcare.

Free healthcare encourages waste

When people aren't paying for something from their own pocket, they are more inclined to abuse it and take it for granted.

Free healthcare may create sedentary and irresponsible lifestyle

Humans would be living without taking care of their health since complementary health services are always available. Therefore, the awareness of being active in living healthily may be taken away.

Yes, healthcare should be free

Healthcare systems that are free for the public at the point of use reduce financial inequality, improves economic productivity, and save human lives.

Free healthcare leads to less inequality

Poorer segments of the population tend to suffer from more lifestyle-induced health complications. In a for-profit system, this increases inequality.

Free healthcare saves lives

A nation should take actions that save the most lives and protect the most people. Free healthcare saves lives and protects people.

Free healthcare is a human right

Good health is a basic essential for human survival. It is a basic human right and should, therefore, be free to all.

Free healthcare prevents financial exploitation

If medical professionals can charge consumers directly it creates the perfect conditions for exploitation.

Free healthcare creates economic productivity

In societies where healthcare is provided for free, workers are more productive.

Free healthcare is cheaper

First-world countries with universal centralized or 2-tier healthcare tend to spend less money Per Capita and achieve better personal care, lower infant mortality and longer lifespans than those with just private healthcare.

Free healthcare is better prepared to deal with pandemics

The full coverage provided by free health care is essential to reduce the propagation rate of viral diseases

Free healthcare has proven to work in many countries

Most developed countries provide free healthcare to their citizens. Free healthcare has been proven to work based on several metrics such as treatment costs, average hospital stay, and readmission rates.

There is no such thing as free healthcare

Healthcare is never free. Someone always has to pay for it. The only debate at play is who should pay for it.

Free healthcare is never "free"

There is no such thing as "free" healthcare. Scarce economic resources means someone or the collective society is paying for that resource (in this case, medical services) to be provided for the people.
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This page was last edited on Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024 at 02:09 UTC