Should healthcare be a right or a privilege?

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, declares “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of oneself and one’s family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.” Hard work and healthy living cannot ensure being healthy. With the high cost of living, many people cannot live in a healthy way. With the high costs of health care, many consumers cannot afford health insurance. Therefore, guaranteed health insurance is preferred. It is the way of guaranteed human rights.

However, there is another perspective. People argue it the individual’s responsibility, not the government’s, to ensure personal health. Many health problems, such as obesity and diabetes, can often be prevented by choosing to live healthier lifestyles.

The costs of health care could be another primary concern for us. Critics argue universal health insurance will increase costs because more people will depend upon the government for healthcare. Universal health insurance, in turn, might cause costs to be passed onto the consumers and prompt the government to limit certain types of care. Guaranteed healthcare for all people may lead people to make riskier decisions because they know that they are guaranteed healthcare if they get hurt.

1. Questions and Framework for the Paper

What is your opinion on Healthcare System? Should it be universal or private?

Please use the following framework to consider the situation and draw your conclusion.

1. The Background and Stakeholders of the Healthcare Industry

In the textbook, we discuss stakeholders (pp. 90-94). Identify and define the stakeholders for healthcare industry. For each stakeholder, what are their interests and concerns in the health care system?

1. Rules and Principles Used to Make A Decision in the Healthcare System

According to our textbook, there are four different principles (rules) for Ethical Decision Making, namely, utilitarian rule, moral rights rule, justice right, and practical rule (pp. 97-99). Please review the enclosed document on “10 ethical decision rules to bullet-proof business”. You have to pick up two rules from this list.

1. Decisions and Conclusions

Please write a report and use the four rules the textbook discusses and choose two more rules from the attached article. Overall, you should use six different rules to review this issue and decide on the subject, i.e., Should the health care system be public or private?

Specifically,

1. You should define the health care system from stakeholder’s perspectives. (rubric 1)
2. Use six rules to discuss them. Under certain rules, what will be recommendations? (rubric 2)
3. Reach and justify your recommendation and write a conclusion. Note your decision should base on the stakeholders’ interests and different rules. You cannot just write down your personal opinion. (rubric 3)

The rubric with three categories will be used to assess your report. They are ethical awareness, ethical issue recognition, and ethical application.