...Healthcare Assignmnet Kelly Hoffpauir April 7, 2013 N2536 According to the preamble of the Constitution of the United States, it is the responsibility of the government to take care of the general welfare of the population, but healthcare is not defined as a right in the Bill or Rights or anywhere else in the constitution (US Constitution Online, 2010). While I believe healthcare is a privilege, I believe the government has a duty to ensure that its citizens are given the basic level of care necessary to consider them treated, whether government or citizens are paying for it. It isn’t defined as a right to Americans to have health care. In the same sense, I feel that the provisional code that states that it is the nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group or community is where the general welfare is spoken about (AACN, 2005). After reading an article on the website, heritage.org (2010), I feel that in this day and time, the determination of who has access to health care has fallen to the government. It is directly and indirectly related. It is related because the reform mandates that everyone has insurance whether it is from the government or from an employer. Employers are having a hard time finding low-cost premiums that provide the employee with a variety of options...
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...Healthcare Responsibility: An Economic Perspective Is healthcare a right or a privilege? While it’s foremost an ethical question , a practical view of the healthcare privilege quandary begs an analysis of its financial ramifications of both answers . With the out-of-pocket cost of healthcare skyrocketing year after year, , the economic question arises: Who should bear the primary responsibility of paying for healthcare, the individual or society? Many nations such as Canada provide universal healthcare to its citizenry at a cost funded by higher taxes on both earned income and regular consumption. . The answer to the question of who should pay for healthcare must take into account both the quality of life for the patient and the financial ramifications for society. It is a universal belief that all individuals deserve to experience a happy and healthy life, but to what extent is the individual responsible for their health. In examining whether the individual or society should pay for healthcare, one must consider both the well-being of the individual and the fiscal welfare of society. These elements do not stand separate, but rather are intertwined. 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 individuals feel, the better they can function and contribute to a society's stability and growth. When a worker is in good health, he or she can best contribute...
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...Grade Received, "A" Healthcare is a privilege that is within reach of the rich, a benediction supplied strictly under the consideration of a business who hires, a government-financed insurance plan for the aged, or a generous gift supplied from the generosity of other individuals. Our Founding Fathers said that we are gifted with indispensable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is understood that for individuals to live, then we must remain healthy. However, there is very little discussion of this right in the Constitution. One particular amendment to the Constitution says that convicts are to be approved to have a right to healthcare (Healthcare: A Privilege, Not a Right, 2011). Presently, convicts are the only ones that are given the right to healthcare. If our Founding Fathers would have foreseen how important healthcare would become, it is likely that they would have allowed each and every individual to have a right to healthcare. When the Constitution was being framed, although inadequate in comparison to the present norms, healthcare was more or less attainable to all individuals. There wasn’t a large deficit of people that could not afford it or have access to it (Healthcare: A Privilege, Not a Right, 2011). Makers of the Constitution, such as Thomas Jefferson, were greatly affected from their own happenings. Thomas Jefferson was not very trusting of doctors, and instead trusted nature. Founded on a practical image of the inadequate...
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...Healthcare: A Right or Privilege Christine P. (NOTE: SCHOOL/ FULL NAME INFO DELETED FOR PRIVACY) November 13, 2012 Healthcare: A Right or Privilege As I have pondered the ever hammering question of our society today, is healthcare a right or a privilege, I find that I am conflicted in making a decision to support either right or privilege. To arrive at an understanding, I needed to define the basic terms of “right” and “privilege”. An individual’s right, as defined by our constitution, is vast and detailed yet a right to health insurance is not discussed. What I did find was a statement that reads and individual has the right “to enter into contracts, and thereby acquire contractual rights” (United States Constitution, 2012). The question of contract is raised when discussing health insurance for it is a contract between member, inurance company and providers and this is a person’s right to enter or decline such contracts. Privilege is defined as “a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor” (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, 2012). Upon reading the U.S. Constitution’s definition of right and a clarified meaning of privilege, I believe Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. There may be some confusion, such as I had, suggesting that every person be mandated to have health care coverage and this is a right rather than a privilege. With the definition set forth by the constitution, we the people have the “right” to enter into...
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...Tanya Waddell Sociology 120 Instructor: Amber Anderson December 21, 2013 Healthcare in the United States! Now that is a question for the ages. Is Healthcare a right or a privilege? Ask 10 people and you will get 10 different answers. Some say yes some say no, however almost all have caveats to their answers. This is where the dilemma starts. As a nation, we agree that individuals should be accountable for their actions. People often argue that those who are reckless with their bodies by ingesting chemicals via cigarettes or drug use and who subsequently develop cancers shouldn’t be subsidized by others’ insurance premiums as the latter group works hard at staying healthy by exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating generous portions of fruits and vegetables. Somehow it isn’t fair. Unfortunately, life and good health aren’t quite that easy or predictable. Children who haven’t had time to abuse their bodies do develop cancers, have type 1 diabetes requiring insulin, or are born with genetic problems, like cystic fibrosis, that require expensive medical therapies that potentially are lifelong. Once diagnosed, these children are now plagued with the “pre-existing” label and unable to get health insurance. Over the past many years, the leading cause of personal bankruptcy for individuals and families is due to medical...
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...Healthcare a Right or a Privilege Cheryl Alcala Intro to Ethics and Social Responsibility Noel Sauer September 17th 2012 Should healthcare be a right or a privilege? In today's society it is becoming more of a privilege than a right. I believe that this is not the way things should be. Our government did not originally intend for it to be this way. I believe that our fore fathers wanted everyone to have the same rights. Was healthcare in the constitution? No, but I do believe that if our forefathers were alive today things would be much different. The issue at hand is healthcare and should it be a right or a privilege. The problem that this presents is this. Do we allow healthcare for everyone or do we chose who has the right to healthcare? Healthcare should be allowed for everyone in the united states. I feel that everyone has the right to be healthy. Other countries have implemented free healthcare and I feel the pros out weigh the cons. With free healthcare you are promoting a healthier society not to mention possibly increasing ones life expectancy. In retrospect your allowing people the chance to live longer healthier lives. Our government it is my belief wants to control who gets healthcare and who doesn't. I feel that this is their way of controlling our population, and continuing to remain in control of our lives. Why is it fair for a wealthy person to receive full medical and dental benefits yet a person of low income status cannot? Do you...
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...The constitution is always brought up when discussing whether healthcare is a right or a privilege. “ If we interpreted our Constitution correctly, America was built on the principle that government exists to protect our rights that already exist, not dictate what rights we have, do not have or should have,” (Williams,2012). I do not thing that healthcare is a right or a privilege. If referring to the constitution, it states “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Our nation was built on the notion of the free market. Healthcare is provided through public and private sectors. “f we want to live out the liberties granted to us by our Founders, we should reserve our right to purchase healthcare on the free market, allowing opportunities for those to purchase at affordable rates, not by allowing healthcare controlled by bureaucrats,” (Williams, 2012). The problem comes due to our entitlement generation. I do believe that basic health needs should be given to all people. Due to constant medical and technological growth, healthcare is more expensive and more advanced. I do not think that all advanced medicine needs to be provided equally to all people. Basic healthcare needs to be identified and provided for all individuals, but the individual can purchase “luxury” healthcare at leisure. Our generation feels that they are entitled to every aspect of healthcare. The healthcare market is a business like any other and the conglomerates and insurance companies want...
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...```````````````````````````````Health Care is a Right, Not a Privilege...
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...health care to be a fundamental right while others consider it a privilege. Consider how you and your family utilize health care resources. Is access to health care a fundamental right that you exercise or a privilege earned? This topic strikes a sharp chord with me. Our family has insurance thankfully. Our family utilizes preventative medicine such as immunizations, dental cleanings and monitoring, and check-ups for my children at the pediatrician. My husband also has to have yearly physicals related to his job. We are very blessed to have access to healthcare in the ways that we do. We still have to pay our copays and expensive prescription deductibles, but am very happy with the insurance we have. I think healthcare is a fundamental right. Stating that healthcare is a privilege earned is absolutely ridiculous! My father has worked at a sawmill for at least 40 years. His boss chooses not to carry insurance and never has. My mother had insurance for a while when she worked at a local factory which laid off employees three years ago. Sine then, she has not been able to find steady employment. I can tell you that my family is one of the hardest working families there is. My father has COPD, has no insurance and cannot afford to pay for his much needed inhaled corticosteroids that he needs. My mother is a diabetic who takes insulin daily, What medications or doctor visits they partake in, is strictly on their own. How is this right? I understand that we have degenerates...
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...when we have to decide if whether it should be free or not. According to Ted Kennedy during his speech given on Memphis, Tennessee on December 1978 pointed out that “Health Care is a Right, not a privilege” (abcnew.com, Dec). It should not be a commodity for wealthy people; it should be a basic right for all individuals, no matter age, race, ethnicity, or gender. After Kennedy’s accident in an airplane crash and having all the care possible given to a privilege person, as he was, he realized that medical care must be provided to all Americans and it should not be a limitation for those who cannot afford it. Currently in the United States, healthcare is considered a privilege, not a basic right. The Center for Economic and Social Rights states that: “Although the United States offers coverage for the very poorest Americans through Medicaid, this fails to reach millions of Americans who do not qualify as the poorest but still have far too little money to afford purchasing their own health insurance (Pies, 2011). Healthcare should be considered a civil right where Americans with less economic possibilities can still be treated by a doctor. In this case, we refer to the insured and uninsured citizens. Although lack of health insurance does not entirely prevent a patient from receiving healthcare services, it certainly makes it extremely difficult (Trotochaud, 2006). Ethically a doctor will not refuse service to any patient regardless of their condition. However, uninsured patients...
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...American Health Care Delivery System IP5 Angela Stewart American Health Care Delivery System America’s emergency rooms see this type of critical events as a daily occurrence. Often you will find that people will go to the emergency department for care because the ER cannot refuse to care for that come to be seen. If we look into the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act any person seeking care must receive assessment and immediate care for their ailment. Often the issue is financial, if a patient is seen at a doctor’s office co-pay or full payment is required at the time of service. With many Americans that do not carry medical insurance their ability to attend to the issue prior to it becoming an emergency is not something they can afford. At this time it is estimated that 77% of Americans are living from pay check to pay check (What percentage of Americans Live paycheck to paycheck? 2012). Without having access to a general physician to control this issue the child will end up being admitted to the hospital (Transferring patients, 2008). The Emergency department has become the safety net that catches those that fall through the cracks. If seen in the ER the individual will get the best possible care for the issue they came in for. In this case the child would be kept in the ER until they were able to clear her lungs and free her of the tightness and inability to take a deep breath. At that time the attending doctor will give a prescription for her immediate...
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...Can healthcare be considered a basic human right? Over the past century, the term "health" has been redefined over and over to come to a more exact and appropriate meaning so that consensus can be reached. The World Health Organization came up with its first definition of health, as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."(p. 26) However, many people criticized and questioned the words "complete", "mental", "social", "disease", "infirmity" and their meanings. Daniel Callahan eventually proposed a short yet solid statement on the definition of health, as "a state of physical well-being."(p.66). Why has so much effort been made to determine a proper definition of health? Because it is important to us. Health is an essential aspect of our lives and its significance cannot be minimized. Therefore, it is natural for humans to pursue good health. But consequentially, does that give humans the right to healthcare? According to the WHO Constitution, "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being…" In order to attain that standard however, healthcare services are required. Services such as treatment, diagnosis, and prevention provided by medical practitioners play a vital role in people's well-being. One might say that it is their responsibility but on what grounds? In this paper, I argue that healthcare is not a basic human right because for one...
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...Health Care: Right or Privilege Stephen D Ramsey Soc. 120 introduction to ethics Instructor Donna Falloon July 4, 2011 I believe everyone should have a health care plan with good prescription copay. Many people in the United States, like me, have an excellent health care plan. With the economy the way it is, and not much new construction happening, it is almost impossible to work the two-hundred hour per quarter to keep my insurance active. Something has to be done so everyone will be entitled to a decent health care plan. Mandatory insurance is great, but what about the people that can’t afford it. The insurance companies keep raising their rates making it almost impossible to keep decent coverage on yourself and your family for those who have one. I think having insurance is more of a privilege than right to have it. The first of my five resources is The 2009 Obama and McCain debate. “Healthcare was priority number two because that broken healthcare system is bad not only for families, but its making our businesses less completive. Obama talked about giving every American a 5,000 refundable tax credit, and go out and get the health insurance you want, rather than mandates and fines for small businesses. Both Obama and McCain talked about this issue. The Liberty Guardian, by Ron Paul, “With passage of last week’s bill, the American people are now the unhappy recipients of Washington disastrous prescription for healthcare reform, the next step towards universal...
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...Edition Check Your Understanding Chapter Answers CHAPTER 1 Check Your Understanding 1.1 1. A hybrid record is refers to record that is totally electronic. False 2. An electronic health record can be managed across more than one healthcare organization. True 3. Confidentiality refers to the right to be left alone. False 4. HITECH widens the scope of privacy and security protections under HIPAA. True 5. Privileged communication is a legal concept designed to protect the communication between two parties. True Check Your Understanding 1.2 1. Ownership of a health record generated by a doctor on a patient belongs to the patient. False 2. A custodian of records is responsible for certifying that a record is what it purports to be. True 3. When a patient refuses treatment he or she is exercising the ethical principle of beneficence. False 4. In a malpractice case, a professional code of ethics may be used as a benchmark for what should be acceptable practice by a healthcare professional. True 5. The ethical principle of nonmaleficence refers to making sure rules are fairly and consistently applied to all. False CHAPTER 2 Check Your Understanding 2.1 1. Private law defines rights and duties between individuals and the government. False 2. Statutes are enacted by legislative bodies. True 3. Administrative law is created by court decisions. False 4. Persuasive authority occurs when a court looks to another...
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...anyone who believes they have been negatively affected by your actions. These complaints are often based on allegations of negligence, malpractice, fraud, sub standard service or care, mistreatment or abuse and/or incompetence. Allegations may also be related to criminal charges such as drug or alcohol abuse, theft, fraud, violence or sexual assault. While the South Carolina Department of Labor, License and Regulation will not determine punishment for the criminal charges, they can take administrative and disciplinary action related to your license. This could include a public reprimand, monetary fines, suspension or revocation. As far as nurses are concerned, they are expected to live up to very high standards. This is the same for all healthcare professionals but nurses especially since they are constantly in contact with patients. Nurses are expected to exercise high levels of professionalism and are required to be honest, hardworking and skillful. However, despite the high expectations from nurses, many nurses every year lose their license due to complaints regarding their lack of professionalism or ethics. Some common reasons why nurses end up with license suspensions include: • drug abuse - many nurses are found to be addicted to both prescription and non-prescription medicines. • unprofessional conduct - this could include having affairs with other employees, using inappropriate language, flirting with patients etc. • using fake license - nurses are also known to sometimes...
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