I have NO issues with the right to affordable health care for ALL. In fact, it should be a right. However, with the right comes implied RESPONSIBILITY. And, sadly, responsibility isn’t being discussed…at all.
What are the responsibilities?
The people have a responsibility to pursue true health, in order to relieve the financial burden passed on to others by the negligent care of one’s own health. The people do have a responsibility to pursue good health as a prerequisite to the right to affordable care. A society doesn’t have unlimited resources and funds to provided unlimited benefit to all.
It doesn’t mean everyone will achieve perfect health, but the very action of pursuing it is the right thing to do. If you want affordable care and to protect people in the case of dread illness, emergencies, or catastrophic disease…at least attempt to quit burdening the system of health care with care that is both preventable and controllable. Pursuing true health (as a society) would provide a welcomed relief to the “system”.
And, the government has a responsibility to enact policies that support the pursuit of true health (ie. food policy that makes healthy food…instead of junk food…cheap / a health provider reimbursement system that rewards health…not just the treatment, “management” and “maintenance” of chronic illness, signs, and symptoms).
Whether we will ever see an increase in responsibility taken is up for debate. But, it will NEVER occur if it’s never ASKED of us. Our LEADERS NEED TO ASK us to be responsible for the pursuit of true health…and they need policies to support it. Period.
Ask not what you can get from the health care system, but what you can do to preserve it and avoid it in the first place.
