The Importance Of Pay For Healthcare

Is having healthcare a right or a privilege? This something all Americans question. With the cost of healthcare to consumers increasing and fewer companies willing to pay for these increases ("Workers pay more...," 2002), the question continues to arise; Who should put up with the primary responsibility of paying for healthcare, the individual or society? Many nations provide universal healthcare and others, such as Canada, that previously did not provide it, are moving in that direction ("The Romanow Report...," 2002). The answer to the question of who should pay for healthcare must take into account both the quality of life for individuals and the financial ramifications for society. While analyzing the assorted factors that play into healthcare

These elements do not stand separate, but rather are some way combined. A society is composed of individuals; the health and well-being of a society is the summation of the health and well-being of all individuals in that society. The better one feels, the better they can function and contribute to a society 's stability. When a worker is in good health, he or she can be at their best and contribute greatness to the workplace. For this reason, anything that improves the health of individuals is of remarkable benefit to society. Any plan that is allocating the responsibility for healthcare must first and foremost protect and uplift the health of individuals, as this is essential to society 's survival and

Studies have shown that individuals will take an active role in practicing healthy lifestyle choices, they reduce their chances of requiring medical care for chronic illnesses. For example, one recent study in Europe found that senior citizens who adopted a "Mediterranean diet," which favors lean meat and vegetables, and who followed a moderate exercise program had half the mortality of senior citizens not following this plan ("Healthy diet, lifestyle...," 2004). Clearly preventative care and personal responsibility for lifestyle choices can dramatically reduce healthcare costs. Therefore, a plan for allocating healthcare costs must create incentives for individuals to take responsibility for their health. Many American businesses are realizing the benefits of encouraging employee participation in healthcare planning. Most companies are now looking into healthcare coverage plans that pay a set amount to insurance carriers. These plans would require employees to take a more active role in choosing how that money would be spent and would present a greater number of plans and carriers to choose from than is currently the case (Karash, 2004). This would assist companies to have more freedom and place a greater burden of responsibility for healthcare on