TL;DR - Healthcare should be readily available to all, but nothing is totally free

Healthcare is vital. It is one of the most important things we need and it should be available to all. Throughout all of our lives, healthcare plays a part, whether it be tests, vaccines, treatment or mental health services, healthcare is essential. So with this, I argue that for all intense and purposes it should be “free”.

However I take issue with the term free. Healthcare, at least where I grew up in the U.K is considered ‘free’. One never has to worry about the costs of getting ill or attaining an injury. YET, the NHS or global/international equivalent still needs funding. It is not totally free, we pay higher tax to cover costs. When politicians for example want more and more to be ‘free’ it just means it has to be paid for as a collective rather than by the individual.

My point being, yes healthcare should be available and free to use, but it cannot just be free, things have to be paid for somehow.

The right to life is a fundamental human right thus Healthcare should always be free

• People do not chose to be sick or have health ailments therefore free healthcare should be provided for everyone
• Private healthcare is a system of oppression, by charging money for healthcare it serves to oppress the poor by keeping them sick or making them go into debt and pay a huge amount of their income for healthcare meaning they have even less financial freedom

Is health a human right?

• Some people believe that health care is a human right and therefore everyone should be able to access health care, regardless of their income. They argue that private health services (where patients must pay out of pocket) discriminate against those in poverty as they are often unable to pay medical fees and end up unable to access health care.

• Others disagree as they believe that every individual has a responsibility to look after their own health. They argue that free health care removes an incentive for living healthily.
Others argue that free healthcare is of a lower quality than personally funded health care.

• Some argue that health care can never be free – people in medical professions must earn a salary, medical supplies must be paid for, and hospitals must be maintained, among many other costs. ‘Free health care’ is generally used to refer to public health services, such as the NHS in the United Kingdom. These health services are not free, but funded by the money from taxpayers rather than from patients directly.

Free healthcare ensures that everyone, regardless of income, can access necessary medical services, which promotes overall public health and reduces preventable diseases. It removes financial barriers that discourage people from seeking care until conditions worsen. While funding free healthcare requires taxes or redistribution, the social benefits—like healthier populations and reduced emergency costs—often outweigh these concerns. Free healthcare reflects a commitment to equity and human dignity.