Is affordable healthcare a human right?

You have a right to engage in trade and commerce with someone who offers healthcare.

No.

If someone else has to provide it it is not a right.

NO

You don't have the right to someone else's labor, and affordable is very relative. When healthcare costs little to nothing for the least wealthy, they have fewer incentives to lead a healthy lifestyle.

But hey, it's the government, they're capable of making anything a right, just don't be surprised when the quality of medical professionals drop over time.

First....define affordable

quote:

---

But what about public defenders?

---

who forced them into becoming a public defender?

that's a CHOICE they made.

quote:

---

But what about public defenders? Is that the one person's labor that you have a right to? Or should you not have a right to representation in a court of law? Serious question.

---

IMO only because our system of government grants people the right to fair trials and specifically states in the 6th Amendment the right to have the assistance of counsel. I think it could be argued that the right to counsel is not a natural right at all.

But since it is granted by our system of government, and since the legal system is complex enough that an undue burden would be placed on citizens if they were expected to all be experts enough in matters of law to aptly represent themselves, it is IMO appropriate for the legal system to provide counsel in order to comply with the 6th Amendment.

Is healthcare a right?

America decided this a while ago. Yes.

If you think otherwise, be cognizant of the consequences of that.

As of right now we have decided it is not morally or legally justified to deny emergency care if you can't show ability to pay.

To truly put teeth into people saying "NO" would require eliminating that guarantee.

That may mean many hospitals will do it out of the kindness of their heart, and that will drive up costs if people can't pay, like happens now, but it also can mean that if your Mother is walking her dog and gets hit by a drunk driver that runs off, and the ambulance can not verify insurance, they would technically be justified in leaving you for dead. If you show up with a gun wound to an ER, they can deny that person stabilizing treatment without adequate proof of insurance.

Cost is a different story. America's Frankenstein private/public system is already the most expensive in the world. By all evidence a true UHC would both increase access and drive down per person costs.

Is healthcare run by the government?

Fortunately, it isn't and therefore the answer to your question is a resounding "frick no"

No American citizen has the RIGHT to walk into another citizens place of business and say "I am entitled to your product and at a price that I say is fair."

No but affordable auto insurance is