Universal Health Coverage

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Health Coverage as a Basic Right: A Case of the United States Health coverage delivers vital value propositions to human life. In fact, it forms the quality of life that supports every other basic human right. Apart from the enhanced accessibility and affordability of the services, it also translates into quality care in an equitable manner (Christopher and Dominic 958). As a matter of fact, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), simply known as Obamacare, sought to address these critical issues in healthcare reforms in the United States (Bauchner 29-30). It logically follows that the country should consider universal health coverage a basic right as it comprises the spirit of ACA, supports access to healthcare services, facilitates humankind’s dignity …show more content…

Indeed, the intention of the health reforms includes the need to consider health coverage as a basic human right. According to Bauchner, ACA achieved 20 million new subscribers from its inception till 2017, yet it leaves out nearly the same number 25 million Americans out of the essential health plans (29). Therefore, the health reforms appear to have failed in their role of delivering the country’s citizens their entitlement to universal healthcare so far. Based on the details of the laws, chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cancers, and cardiovascular counterparts, remain out of its scope (Jones and Kantarjian 2193). Even so, patients with these conditions must find alternative means of funding their medication, that is, through professional associations dealing with particular diseases …show more content…

A person becomes as dignified as his or her health. This message reverberates in every part of the ACA document through emphasizing on quality, affordability, accessibility, and value for money to the consumers (Bauchner 31). Due to the desire to further these value proportions to health services consumers, the United States government places the ultimate control of the course of treatment on the citizens. The state, by this act, demonstrates its acknowledgment of human autonomy and dignity as critical even in the status of disease (Christopher and Dominic 960). In other words, healthcare coverage offers the opportunity to gain the means of upholding personal dignity and autonomy; thus, the mode of achieving the goal becomes a basic right. To emphasize, universal healthcare achieves the status of a human entitlement through its intended

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