Right or Privilege: Healthcare in the U.S.
Healthcare system in the United States has long been a debatable issue, especially when it was and is discussed by supporters of publicly funded healthcare. Unlike in many developed industrialized countries (including Canada, Australia, United Kingdom), the United States healthcare system is less socialistic, and thus a subject to many debates and disagreements. On one hand, private healthcare system – like in the United States – is a great contribution to national economic system (it is estimated that about 17% of U.S. gross domestic product comes from healthcare spending [Wiki, 2005]). On the other hand, such private system restricts certain members of American society from receiving appropriate healthcare, or from receiving them at all. Since over 40 million Americans cannot afford healthcare insurance (Webber, 2004), they lack appropriate medical care. However, those who belong to a higher social class enjoy ample level of healthcare services. Thus, such system is in fact discrimination of rights of people who are biologically absolutely the same as ones who can afford the care. Hence, healthcare system is not a privilege, rather it is a right, - a right of each and every human to be healthy, and to have access to appropriate medical care. 
Socialized medicine has many advantages over a private healthcare system. Interestingly, one of these advantages is that it costs less than privately owned system. The reform of healthcare system in the United Steats, however, would cause health insurers to lose huge numbers, and the providers would not be happy either. Economy would be influenced in a negative way as well. But are all these mentioned earlier more important than lives of Americans and their well-being? Current capitalistic approach brings money to the rich by depriving the poor their health. This moral aspect of American healthcare system also proves its inefficiency. Contrarily, with socialized medicine, everyone would have an access to medical care. In addition, with social healthcare, everyone would be equal in terms of health and even live vs. death (America has long been fighting for equality, but this sector somehow has been put aside in terms of equality). Another advantages of public care include the following: it does not require that much contractual paperwork, more effective healthcare plans, universal access to healthcare, negotiation on pharmaceutical prices, and most importantly, the increase of the national level of population health. 
Although there are few public healthcare providers in the United States that are financed by taxes, namely Medicare and Medicaid, generally healthcare is provided by legal private entities. Medicare and Medicaid provide healthcare services to elderly people and to low-income families. However, there are millions of residents, who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid coverage, and do not have insurance through their employers and/or cannot afford financially to purchase individual insurance coverage. Hence, about 17% of American population are uninsured (Wiki, 2005). Nevertheless, there are several organizations in the United States that keep fighting for reforming current healthcare system. Their struggle has brought some results, and nowadays some of the states have made steps toward universal medicine. Most notable of these states is Minnesota, that “ensures basic health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans through four major publicly subsidized health care assistance programs” (MDHS, 2005). This way, Minnesota must become a role model to the entire healthcare system of the United States because it provides medical care to much more people in need; they provide people with services because they understand that these people have a right for healthcare. 
Supporters of capitalistic approach would argue that healthcare is a privilege, and that it is a service that must be paid for just like at a restaurant or at hairdresser’s. However, these supporters forget about the fact that everyone wants to live and to be healthy; simply because one person has more money does not mean that he or she has a stronger desire to live or be healthy. Contrarily, we all “share the same biology regardless of ideology“ (Sting, 1985), and thus all people deserve a right for wellbeing and healthcare. 
Interesting enough, but those who do not receive healthcare are usually people of the lower social and economic class. These people are usually workers, who toil in skilled labor positions. Now, since their jobs are physical/manual, there is a higher probability for them to seek medical assistance than for the white-collar employees. This phenomenon of American healthcare system proves once more that it must be reformed: those who seek care do not receive it. 
Ultimately, every person – reach or poor, black or white, Christian or pagan – has a right for a safe, healthy, and happy life. Although healthcare providers probably would not make a patient safe or happy, but they surely can improve his or her health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, in the United States not all people can claim their right for appropriate healthcare, while government values capitalistic ideal as more important. However, no money is worth people’s health and lives…
Bibliography
1.	Publicly funded medicine. (2005). Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2005. Web-site: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/ Publicly_funded_medicine
2.	Webber, N. (2004). Healthcare is a right, not a privilege! New York State Nurses Association. Retrieved December 16, 2005. Web-site: http://www.nysna.org/departments/communications/publications/report/2004/mar/healthcare_rights.htm
3.	Health care in the United States. (2005). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 16, 2005. Web-site:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Health_care_in_the_United_States
4.	Publicly funded medicine. (2005). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 16, 2005. Web-site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Publicly_funded_medicine
5.	Health care. (2004). Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS). Retrieved December 16, 2005. Web-site: http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/
6.	Sting. (1985). Russians. “The dream of the blue turtles.” Lyrics derived from Azlyrics. Web-site: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/sting/russians.html