From our new constitution. It has not been passed and ratified yet, as some of the government structure is still being debated; but what follows is not controversial.
- (1) Every person has the right —
(a) to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care;
(b) to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation;
(c) to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality;
(d) to clean and safe water in adequate quantities;
(e) to social security; and
(f) to education.
Every person. Not every person who can prove they aren't "illegal", or are from the right tribe, or whatever. This is very important as we have a lot of refugees and people who may technically be citizens of adjacent countries, but aren't "documented" by any government. It is not un-common for people born and living near international borders to have no idea where the border is.)
Right to health care. Not "insurance".
Including reproductive health care.
I've seen many postings and news articles talking about how the U.S. is number 37 or 40 or whatever among "industrialized" or "advanced" countries. Forget the qualifiers. The U.S. isn't in danger of falling to the level of "third world" countries, it already trails them.
I don't know of any other country in the world that is so cruel as to not understand, codify, and support the fundamental human right to health care. Many countries don't have the resources to deliver, but do the best they can, and strive to do better. The U.S. has the resources, but denies health care to its citizens.
Consider the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by every country in the world (194 of them). Except one. Want to guess which one?
Article 24
- States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.
- States Parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures:
(a) To diminish infant and child mortality;
(b) To ensure the provision of necessary medical assistance and health care to all children with emphasis on the development of primary health care;
(c) To combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through, inter alia, the application of readily available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking-water, taking into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution;
(d) To ensure appropriate pre-natal and post-natal health care for mothers;
(e) To ensure that all segments of society, in particular parents and children, are informed, have access to education and are supported in the use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, the advantages of breastfeeding, hygiene and environmental sanitation and the prevention of accidents;
(f) To develop preventive health care, guidance for parents and family planning education and services.
- States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children.
- States Parties undertake to promote and encourage international co-operation with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the right recognized in the present article. In this regard, particular account shall be taken of the needs of developing countries.
You think it might be the "family planning" bit? Or the part elsewhere about a right to a free public education? In any case, the Senators from the Bigot Belt states are steadfastly opposed to ratification. (I also suspect that the clause which says that children have freedom of religion might be an issue for them: "States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion." Article 14.1) full text
The concept of "insurance" is entirely incompatible with the fundamental human right, recognized by every country in the world except the United States, to health care.