As many observers have pointed out , frustrations are no excuse for murder. But it has become a moment of wider reflection on health care in America, and why so many patients feel the system is broken. Philosopher Nicole Hassoun researches health care and human rights. The Conversation U. Your work deals with global health inequality and access β can you help put the U. We spend much more money β about double per patient, on average, compared with other OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries β and get much less in return.
In a study of 10 wealthy nations, including New Zealand, Sweden and Canada, The Commonwealth Fund β a private foundation for health care research β ranks the U. And there is a great deal of inequality in the U. Black infants die at a rate nearly 2. People of color tend to have lower rates of coverage as well. Before the Affordable Care Act, the situation was really dire. What does that mean, and what would it look like?
I think that people everywhere should have a legally enforced right to health β and in many countries, such as Germany and Norway , they do.
Morally, I think that the U. People should be able to live minimally good lives , and health is really important to do that. When I say people have a right to health , I mean they have a right to the socially controllable determinants of health. This includes a clean and safe environment, health care and adequate food, water and social support. What I mean is that society should do what it can so that everybody has health care at a reasonable cost. Good governments and their social support systems help everyone secure the health they need to contribute to society.
The alternative is costly for everybody, not just people who are sick. Nearly half of the health problems in the U. As a wealthy country, we should have the resources to address those problems β including steps as simple as making sure people have high blood-pressure medicine, or regular primary-care visits. Everybody should be getting that kind of care, because otherwise, people certainly end up in the emergency room.
