Healthy, Wealthy, & Fair: Health Care and the Good Society

Along with many Americans I frimly believe in freemarkets providing goods and services to the American people. America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world because of our adherence to the freemarket system. However, our citizens rank near the bottom in health status. Americans have lower life expectancy, more health-related morbidity and higher adolescent death rates than most other advanced nations in the world and even some developing countries. With the exception of a few of our high technology medical advances that will benefit a very small percentage of the population, the overall condition of our preventive and maintenance healthcare and its delivery is in terrible condition. To function in the freemarket and be productive each person needs the best overall health possible. To obtain healthcare and good health in general must not be a fruit of that individual's success in the freemarket system. For our system to function properly, be fair, be wise, be compassionate and, in fact, to not be evil, healtcare must be a right for every citizen and must not be dependent upon a person's ability or even willingness to pay money. After a decent level of good healthcare is provided to each citizen, then, and only then, can that person swim in the freemarket ocean where he/she will sink or swim based on their ability, their intelligence and their willingness to expend effort. To have a fair chance at success which will benefit both the individual and all of society, each person needs to be provided with the availability and ease of access to both preventive healthcare and basic healthcare delivery.