It takes a lot of money to "offer" health care, and Americans have consistently refused the increase in personal income tax that would finance such an endeavor. It is questionable whether there is a "right" to health care, just as with free housing. In the US we have the right to pursue happiness, and free housing and free health care could be under this umbrella - however, we only have the right to PURSUE these things, not to have them handed to us. A lot of money could also be seen as happiness, but that doesn't mean the government has to give it to me. Somebody has to pay! Answers 101: The supporting evidence is self-evident: we don't have free health care in the US for all citizens. If we wanted it, as a nation, we would force our legislators to make new law and would have the resultant tax increase. We haven't done that.

Isn't food a human right? What about clothing? What about housing? Aren't these more basic needs than health care? If you think that health care is a basic human right that should be offered by the government, then why don't you advocate that the government provide these necessities as well? Then how do you propose that we pay for these services? Every service offered by the government has to be paid for somehow. This means raising taxes. Which means less money in the hands of individuals. Governments are also notoriously inefficient. They spawn bureaucracies that sap money away from the actual programs and spend it on administration instead. As LynfromNM wrote, the people of this nation don't want to pay for socialized medicine nor do we trust it. Therefore, we, by and large, pressure our representatives to not pass legislation toward this end. Just look at what happened to the Clinton health care plan. Pressure was placed on the legislature to the point that the vast majority of both the House and Senate voted against it. It was not even close. You can try to claim that it was the special interests that got it killed, but the various pacs don't have the power to create a vote as one-sided as this one was. It was the people of this nation that rejected that plan.

Just to dispute what other respondents seem to be saying, health care *is* a basic human right. Article 25 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes health care as one of the components of an adequate standard of living. Unless the USA wants to back out of this agreement, they have already accepted health care as a basic human right. Article 25 1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. 2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection. http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm That said, the level of health care to be provided is not defined in the Declaration. Some might consider what Public Health Departments offer to meet the standard. Many states around the world lack the financial resources to live up to this agreement. Some Christians consider that their donations to overseas medical charities are not only gifts offered to the glory of God but also on a secular level, their own personal fulfilment of this obligation that we have to one another of protecting each other's Human Rights. As the most prosperous state in the world at this time, surely the USA could be expected to fulfill this obligation to its citizens more fully than any other state, but alas, that is not the case. Just something to think about.

The US offers medicare/medicaid for people above a certain age or who can not work. Citizens and non-citizens receive 'emergency room' treatment regardless of ability to pay. I am a healthy working American and I pay for this. Traditionally, in the US it was not seen as the Job of the government to provide health care, but of the private sector (the people). People can spend as much or as little as they want on health care when the need (or perceived need) arises. As a result, America has developed some of the finest and most advanced medical care available in the world. A right was seen as something 'god given' or 'natural' which the government should not interfere with. It did not promise to 'provide' something, just not get in your way. Hence you have a right to 'Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness'. So you can't deprive someone of their natural freedom, or take their life, or unfairly restrict them in their pursuits of happiness. But 'medical care' is not a natural right. It is something you may pursue. It is something that can be provided, but no government can 'mandate' health care. The UN can say it is a human right, but in many many third world countries there is NO real medical care. And saying it is a 'right' does not make it magically appear. Advanced medical treatment evolved along with our society which flourished upon government simply 'not impeding' our pursuits.

Yes. I can't believe we don't. It's ridiculous.

Health care is never really free since you have to pay for it in taxes anyway.

I think there's benefits and minus' to both, and people will complain both ways. I think the NHS system is better, as it allows healthcare regardless. Personally I think the best option would be a means tested system, Like the NHS but the rich pay more, bringing healthcare up to private standards. That way the multibillion pound money hole that is private medicine could be scrapped. And everyone could get decent healthcare.

Yes, but that would include changing alot of the priorities the politicians and president have for how our tax money is spent, and I doubt that is likely to happen anytime soon. And of course it needs to be bi-partisan, which is usually a joke. It's sad all of the adults and kids who dioe and are sick because they have no healthcsare in the wealthiest country in the world. But it is true.

It would be nice

Absolutely. I find it ridiculous and embarrassing that we can spend over $300 billion to go to war in Iraq, but have almost half of our children without basic health insurance coverage. We are regulating quality healthcare to the realm of the rich, and that level of social stratification is unconscionable.

UK before I strat. The NHS is the envy of the world over, yet if you came over here and asked people, nearly everyone would say it's crap. As joni Mitchell said, you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Yes it is currently in debt. Yes waiting lists are quite high. And yes there is a two tier system for non-urgent ops such as joint replacements. But you're always going to get that. As for richer people paying more, well they are taxed higher so they do really. If they want to they then have the option of going private on top of this. However, when it comes down to proper emergency care, the NHS is second to none. If you have, for example, a suspected heart attack, you will be taken care of like you wouldn't believe. I don't mean that you get Prime Rib steak and a room with a view, I mean that you can be sure that the staff and resources are of the highest quality and are instantly available. Of course many UK citizens luckily never have to undergo this and so don't appreciate what they actually have available to them. I once overheard a person talking in the gym about whether to pay private and have an op done in a private hospital or an NHS hospital (you sometimes get this option depedning on circumstances). His friend said that he should go private, no question, because the service is better, the staff to patient ratio is much better, the food is great and you get your own private room with Sky television. Trust me, if I ever had this option, I'd go NHS like a shot. If you recover post-op and have a problem with your kidneys say, you can get a specialist opinion from the same hospital very quickly. And I've seen the staff respond to arrest calls. TRust me, you get enough staff to your bed in ten seconds like they were giving away free money. I think it's great.

Absolutely. I think the only reason we don't have it is because the politicians who are firmly in the pockets of the health insurance lobbyists manage to convince every one that its either socialist, or that it will lead to long lines, decrease the quality of treatment and that the healthy will be shouldering the burden of the unhealthy. I personally think that's a crock because all those things happen already with none of the benefits that the Canadian or UK model provide

we have "free" health care in australia, but we do pay health tax levies every year. there are still alot of people who pay private health insurance, which is optional. nothing is really free, we are lucky as most of our meds are paid for by the government, allowing us to pay minimal amounts for them. after living in the states for short periods of time, i do appreciate our system.

Because all the government cares about is money

Good queston, cause all other counties give their people Free heath care from the time they are born until their death. But not here.

Because it's a very sticky situation that I choose not to fully agree or disagree with either side. We are a capitalistic society if we give free health care we risk turning communistic to socialistic which is what we strive not to be. Along with the fact competition is GOOD for health care since you get a CHOICE in who your doctor will be. YET at the same time, we want to protect our citizens and don't as fully as we could.

Free health care has been a great success in Cuba and Venezuela as well as European countries. It's simple-abolish the unnecessary military and spend the money on health and education

Because we live in a backwards nation controled by large corporations and the wealthy elite who benifit from the status quo. In the United States, you only have human rights if you have the money to pay for them.

Because they don't really care about us. If they did we would have free health care and I think we should have it.

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Its simple, the US would rather spend more money killing people, than healing them

Health care is not a human right.

Health care is not a human right. Rights do not come automatically by just being born. Someone or a group of someones have to confer those rights to themselves and others. Our Constitution certainly makes no mention of it as being a "right". Maybe this way- Why doesn't the US consider healtcare a human right? Or maybe Should not the US make Healthcare a basic right in this country? Personally I think we should. But as to it being a human right, well, that is just plain wrong. Rights do not exist naturally. We have to create them.

When did health care become a right? This is a new one for me.

Because the U.S. is a capitalistic country. It talks about human rights in other countries and what it refers to is "don't slaughter your people"! Some of us believe that offering health care and education to our people would be a very very smart thing to do..healthier, smarter people do better, don't they? Others would argue that the government doesn't owe its people much beyond protecting them from the forces of evil..always from outside. The forces of evil from within..you know, ill health and lack of education don't count. :)

Health care is not a right. A right is something that does not infringe on another person. By giving health care to everybody then that means government would have to impose on other citizens and take way something they have worked for to supply something to someone else. That is wrong. I do not want pay for your health care. I will pay for my own, and you shouldn't expect anyone else to pay for yours. Health care is a privilege not a right.

It's not a human right.

Because some other folks have decided that their right to make an obscene profit margin is more important than other folk's lives.

Do you have a list of human rights?

... improves. That is what we all want, but socialized medicine does not achieve that. - BTW, I am through with this discussion. Your constant insults and derogatory remarks aimed at me and my place of employment show that you are capable of civil discussions with someone of an opposing view point. So, goodbye.

I know it's a human right that you don't have to work for free, do you? should doctors?

It is not a human right.

because it seems to me that the only things many Americans care about is Profit( at any cost ) and owning as many Guns as they can... as far as helping out their fellow countrymen thats don't get a look in and health care falls into this category... they would rather let 500,000 U.S. citizens die each year from preventable diseases than pay a few extra dollars in taxes .." Bring me your sick, outcast, down trodden " wasn't that the U.S. catch cry and what many boast about of how great the U.S. is .. then they let them die in the gutter!

our elected officials get paid well to keep things the way they are. sad but true.

Government mismanagement is to blame. God knew what he was doing when he designated that only 10% was needed to efficiently run society. These politicans are lining their own pockets and those of special interests groups and as long as Americans pay taxes that go toward things we all disapprove of, it's never going to end. The American people need to start raising their own crops and doing more to make themselves independant. Stop working in ways which make you obligated to pay a tax on goods and services. When the tax`dollars stop rolling in, these rich politicians won't be able to conduct business as usual. That's the grass roots solution to the problem that everyone can play a part in.

Greed of the rich not wanting to share with the others; ultimately this is what has stopped universal health care in the past. While we're reforming things, reform welfare so recipients have to work and pay taxes. Then everyone will be paying taxes so all can have healthcare. Treating fellow citizens properly is a 'right' as opposed to a 'wrong'.

As I've read through every answer and comment, I see that the liberals come down on the side of emotion, while the conservatives come down on the side of reason. With this enormous gulf, how can there ever be a meeting of the minds?

It does. In the form of emergency care. Tis not a government provided right to give you big boobs.

cause the people who run the US are not normal.

You should listen to this guy. He has it right on the money.

There are no "rights" that require others to make provision or sacrifices for you. That's why "food" and "shelter" are not rights that are guaranteed in the Constitution. We attempt to legislate so that people CAN HAVE their basic food and (sometimes) shelter needs met, but it has to be understood that these are not rights.

Ya know, the founding fathers saw "rights" as something "inalienable" and can not be granted by a government... So, since health care is a right, why should it be granted by the government? The ONLY role the U.S. government should have is by protecting those rights, not granting them. The problem is that there are already protections in place, albeit inefective, but they are there. No one can be refused treatment in an emergency room and no one is denied "Equal" access to health care. Unfortunately, people tend to make money the seperator if "equal" rights, and to some extent it is; but there are programs - i.e. medicaid - that can be used to help. But I'll make that concession, medicaise isn't the best tool for people either.

Because republicans own it! Get rid of them and we all will live a farier and better life!

Because we're out for ourselves and only give a damn about our own rights. In fact, the only right we believe in is watching those who do not have suffer.

who said it is a human right?

Get the dr's ready cause I think this answer is going to get me some. But here goes anyway... First of all, health care is already offered to EVERYONE. Citizens, legal and illegal aliens, even people who drop out of the sky inside our borders. No ER will turn down treatment to ANYONE! What people seem to think is a "right" is for "health insurance coverage" The only part of this opinion that I disagree with is the word "right". "we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No where no time did our creator give us the "right" to have someone else be obligated to treat our health condition. Any "rights" that are given to us by our creator are for ourselves to be able to do something. Not to force someone else to act for our benefit. We have the right to live. (or someone else does not have the right to end our life for us) We have the right to liberty (to do with our life/property as we see fit and not be subject to someone else's wishes for that same life/property) We have the right to pursue happiness (or no one else can tell us we can't do something we would like to do or go somewhere we want to go. unless of course our desires directly intrude on the rights of someone else) Now, as a civil society I agree that in America we can and therefore should take care of our fellow American so I am ok with providing health insurance for all citizens of this wonderful country. Most people I know on the right and the left feel this same way. The problem arises when the left insists that the best way to achieve this if for the government to completely take over health care. They somehow believe that, inspite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the goverment will do it better because it is not interested in profits. This is a dangerous position to take. Government has never run any program with the flexibility custom tailoring that a national private firm can achieve. They are afraid of Insurance Co.s only looking out for profits at the expense the very people who need their product. The problem is once we are forced into a government system we can never escape. No matter how good or bad we are stuck with it. Just think of all the ridiculous waste in Medicare and Medicaid. But when private companies are mandated to take care of everyone and the blocks that keep them from interstate competition are lifted they will try and make money. But the only way to make money is to have a product that is better than the other 100 insurers they are competing with. Competition drives prices down. Government programs waste a lot of money. I will take private anyday. That is my rant. Thanks for reading Max +s

Because we Americans are a selfish uncaring lot of unfeeling, paranoid bastards. This answer is going to go down quite well I think..a negative 20 at least - but it's true.

It is not a human right here or anywhere else. Europeans pay 50% of their income for the right to health care, which most often comes at the end of a long line.