Do we really have a right to health coverage?
Think about it - why do people believe they have some right to free health care? No body else pays for our cars, our houses, or our groceries. Why is it any different when it comes to medical care? Maybe if we cared about the cost involved we as a society would actually care about what it all cost, maybe we would actually look into alternatives and conservative treatments for our problems rather than rushing into the most expensive tests possible at the slightest hint of a cough.
If we all paid for our health care and insurance didn't cover anything but emergency services, providers would have to lower prices and compete like any other business. This is one way to make sure that not only the prices are kept in check but also that the quality is also maintained.
As it stands today in America, no one ever really questions the prices of any medical care unless they are paying out of pocket with their own money. The mutual thought process among providers and patients alike is essentially -
'Why do I care - the insurance is picking up the tab?'
That kind of mentality is the reason we are in the situation we are in right now with health care. The insurance companies have tightened down on spending, increased premiums and run the system through the ringer because of the over spending on medical care that is not medically necessary and yet thousands of us throw caution to the wind on a daily basis because someone else is paying the bill.
That mentality hasn't gotten us anywhere so far...maybe that is what needs to change.
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