How health care became a human right

When I started in the health benefits advisory business more than 30 years ago (1987) through the predecessor of Freedom Benefits I strongly disagreed that health care was a “right”. My opinion was shared by the majority of Americans.

But three things have happened since then and public opinion has shifted:

1) The wealth gap has widened tremendously. Most people can’t reasonably expect to retain health coverage in the event of a chronic major medical crisis. The 98% will not get health benefits from the 2% unless we demand it forcefully.

2) It has become clear that the majority of our nation’s health care costs trace back to large for-profit corporations: processed foods, chemicals,environmental toxins, sugar, etc. They should pay more of the cost of the damage their products trigger, and

3) It’s not ‘poor people’ who are risking medical bankruptcy anymore but hard working middle age people, small business owners and professionals. In the long run we are fighting for our own lives.

It is now clear that that majority of us now demand basic heath care as a fundamental public service and a responsibility of government. We have yet to work out the details but the direction is cast.