Loving others and caring for others’ needs are central to many people’s values and ethics; so what if public policy changes so that there are limits to who gets certain benefits and public services?
Particularly relevant to this question currently are immigrants who are seeking healthcare and public services. Since people who migrate to the United States generally have higher hopes for their future in their new home, it can be devestating to find that jobs could be scarce, housing can be hard to find (especially without a phone number, past U.S. address, or local references), and family members may not stay healthy.
Healthcare providers and workers need to be prepared with an understanding of how they will stand on the issues of migration that reflect their vows to uphold life and advocate for the health of their patients. Advocating may not be easy, but those who care for others need to take stances that reflect thier deeply rooted values.
Healthcare. Is it a right? Is it a priviledge?
No matter where you stand on this issue it is absolutely horrendous that in a country where we have the means to address the health of every individual many go without the healthcare that could preserve or greatly improve their wellbeing.
Health is something that we all have in common. Good or bad, we all have health; and this is a leveling factor. Disease knows some discrimation (as far as affecting on a greater level those of lower socioeconomic status due to the lower qualities of sanitation or higher levels of pollution in certain areas of the United States) but on a large scale the diseases that are plauging citizens of the United States have a higher correlation with life-style and access to primary care than at any other time in history. No longer are we treating infectious disease as a number one killer, but we are addressing cardiovascular health, preventative cancer screenings, and screening for diabetes.
This change in focus should be highly impacting when it comes to the ethics of the question of healthcare access to all. Since on some scale the number one causes of death in the U.S. can be treated or prevented, it is impairative that we look at who is with, and who is without that treatment and prevention.
One population that many cannot argue should have access to healthcare are those under 18 years of age. Children in our country should have access to adequate well-child visits and a primary care provider that is consistent and who knows them. Children are vulnerable, on some level they are deemed innocent in our culture and do not assume responsibility to care for themselves – and we can see the logic in providing healthcare to them; but should it stop there?
What about pregnant women? There is an unborn child who is completely dependant upon her access to healthcare in order to have its healthcare considered.
What about the mentally ill? The elderly? Those who are physically disabled? Is there a limit to our ability to provide healthcare to people?
And yet, as it stands we generally provide the most extensive healthcare to those who can (and do) pay for healthcare insurance. Is this right? Is it right to support a health-insurance system that blatantly discriminates in provisions for those who are aging or ill? What are our alternatives? It seems to me that for such an “advanced” society we should be addressing this and problem-solving on a much higher level.
There is hope in the middle of the despair. There is light in all of the darkness. There is love in the midst of hate. There is enlightenment somewhere in the oppression.
Somedays when I look around and see all the news I feel such turmoil inside, but there are glimpses of hope and true peace. Where do you see peace? Where do you see hope and love?
I hope it is in those around you; I hope it is in you. What do you think brings hope to the oppressed? When I look around I see such obvious oppression. It hurts so much to know that here in my own country there are so many that are without healthcare, without homes, without food, without dignity. To bring dignity to people is to give them a voice. Be that voice.
