Quality health care should be accessible to all people. No human is more important than another just because their life situation has dictated their economic stability. When medical costs are more than rent, low income families and people without good insurance may have to choose between the health of their family member or buying food or paying bills.
Unfortunately, the problem with making health care universal or free is that there is then nobody to pay doctors.
Perhaps a sliding scale could be implemented. When a person needs treatment but can’t afford the inflated prices of medical services, a sliding scale could allow a person to receive care without having to go into debt just to regain health. This is especially important if that person does manual labor and their illness or injury inhibits them from work. Someone with a corporate-style job can easily work from home as they recover, with no worry about paying their medical bills because their insurance through their employer has premium benefits. Someone who works three part-time jobs making minimum wage can’t qualify for insurance or benefits. Their injury or illness could put them out for a few days, but because they don’t have quality health care, they miss weeks of work due to slower recovery. They could lose their job(s) because they’re unable to get the care they need to recover quickly and get right back to work.
To live in a society where health care is not equally accessible or affordable is to live in a society that quietly favors those who are more affluent over those in the working class or living below the poverty line. A person’s life should be valued regardless of who it belongs to. Whether it’s the CEO of a company, the guy changing your tires or the person who picked up every extra shift this week just to make rent, each person plays a role in society that wouldn’t be accomplished without their existence. With affordable, quality health care that is easily accessible they are ensured a better quality of life. Who wouldn’t want that?