Website Who.int defines Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as, “all people can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship.”
Who.int continues to explain that the, “UHC embodies three related objectives: Equity in access to health services -- everyone who needs services should get them, not only those who can pay for them; the quality of health services should be good enough to improve the health of those receiving services; and people should be protected against financial-risk, ensuring that the cost of using services does not put people at risk of financial harm.”
During this year's presidential election debates, this was one of the biggest topics discussed. Which poses the question: Is health care a right or a privilege?
Karen Pugh, 44, said the idea of free health care “is a good thing because a lot of people can’t afford healthcare.”
What are the economic disadvantages of universal health care?
Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders introduced a plan during his presidential run that would cost on average $13.8 trillion over a 10-year period, with increases in taxes for the wealthiest of Americans, writes FiscalTimes.com.
An article in Forbes.com said: “U.S. government entities spend more per person on healthcare than all but two countries in the world. The two advanced economies with the most economically free health care systems are Switzerland and Singapore and both countries have achieved universal health insurance while spending a fraction of what the U.S. spends.”
President-elect Donald J. Trump plans to reform “public policy that will broaden healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans” as stated on donaldjtrump.com.
Andrea Hill, 25 and unemployed said, “because every person is contributing to the nation somehow, so in return the nation should supply limited healthcare” therefore they are being denied a civil right.
Pamela Ruffins, age 46 and a coordinator of an outreach program that helps economically challenged, has clients without healthcare.
Ruffins said, "There is an average of 37% a month” of people who don’t have healthcare.
In the end, is healthcare a right or privilege?
