A Human's Right To Medical Care

by: Micah Weiss

“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.” - Former Senator Edward Kennedy. 

Many lives have been lost due to the pandemic. But as the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines roll out across the country and parts of the world, we can begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. And, as more and more are vaccinated, activities that used to be safe are now safe once again. However, in order to protect ourselves as well as others, those who are not vaccinated yet must resist the urge to relax safety precautions and do what’s right not just for ourselves but for our community at large by wearing masks, social distancing, and most importantly, getting vaccinated. But that’s not all that must be done. Our community must not just be responsible for COVID-19, but for health care coverage for those who need it. 

In 2019, the uninsured rate in the United States increased for the third year in a row. As of then, 28.9 million Americans were uninsured. This number has undoubtedly escalated exponentially due to the loss of jobs during the pandemic. Causes of people being uninsured include low-income, limited Medicaid eligibility in their state, and more. In states that have not yet expanded eligibility for medical care under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there is what many call a “coverage gap”. This refers to the lack of medical care coverage for those below the poverty level but are not eligible for it because they have too high of an income to qualify for Medicaid but also cannot afford Marketplace coverage due to their low wages. For example, the median income limit for parents in a family of three in states that have not expanded on their medical care coverage is just 41% of poverty, or $8,905 a year. This will likely contribute to the growth of the uninsured rate in the United States. One thing in the ACA was that the HHS (Health & Human Services) was required to launch a website, Healthcare.gov, to “allow residents to compare prices of health care plans, identify if they qualify for federal subsidies, and enroll in a chosen plan.” However, when the website first launched, so many people went on the website that it crashed within the first two hours. It also was because of lack of relevant experience, lack of leadership, and intense schedule pressure. However, things have progressed since then, and now the website offers many the chance to apply for government-funded care and find a health care plan that fits their needs. 

Studies conclude that 73.7% of people who are uninsured and non-elderly say that healthcare coverage is too expensive, 25.3% say they are not eligible for coverage, and 21.3% say they don’t want or need it. Others said that the sign-up for it was too difficult or confusing, they could not find a plan that met their needs, or they had lost their job. 

While only 2.8% said that they had lost their job in 2019, this number has climbed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, more than 20 million people lost their jobs in April 2020 in the U.S, right after many companies closed down in March because of the pandemic. As many people access health insurance through their employer, that also means countless Americans who lost this coverage. Lack of medical insurance can severely impact a person’s access to medical care. For example, in 2019, three in every ten uninsured individuals went without medical care when they needed it because of the cost, compared to only one in every ten individuals with public healthcare coverage and one in every twenty individuals with private coverage. Uninsured adults are also much more likely to delay or forgo medical care than those insured, which can lead to possibly severe consequences. These numbers are also similar for kids. CHIP, created by the HHS, works to fund states for health insurance for families with children, trying to close the medical care gap for kids. Despite efforts from charities and the United States government, people are still impacted by their lack of medical care. This is not just the case for our country though, but rather all around the world. A joint study by the WHO (World Health Organization) and the World Bank shows that as of 2017 more than half the world’s population that they could collect data on lacked all the medical care they needed. 

Judaism obligates us to give and help those in need. Each year, we are commanded to give 10% of our net profit to the poor. While for some this may be unreasonable, every bit counts. In fact, Judaism teaches us that helping others is one of the main purposes in life, one of the most important mitzvahs, too. However, it is important that we not just help Jews, but all who are in need. In the Mishnah, it states, “One sustains poor gentiles with poor Jews, and one visits sick gentiles with sick Jews, and one buries dead gentiles with dead Jews…” In Pirkei Avot 5:13, it says that “He who desires that he himself should give, and that others should give: he is a pious man.” This shows that a righteous person not only wants just them or just others to give to the poor, but wants everyone — themselves included — to chip in, and help others and those in need to the best of their ability. Finally, in Deuteronomy 16:20, it states the famous quote, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” All these lessons from the Torah are meant to teach us how to live in our everyday lives. Justice, charity, and helping those in need is not a one-time commitment, but a way of living. 

How can you help make sure people get the medical care they need? Outside of the United States, there are a number of organizations that seek to provide medical care to those who would otherwise not have access to it. One way is to donate or support the charity Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders’ mission is “to provide independent medical humanitarian emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, natural disasters, and exclusion from health care.” They work all around the world in over 70 countries, including the United States, to tackle various medical issues and provide medical care to those in need. International Medical Corps is another organization, which provides ‘lifesaving healthcare and supplies to children, families, and communities that have lost everything due to conflict, disaster, and disease.’ Other possible charities you could donate to that operate in Israel could be Magen David Adom or United Hatzalah. Both work by providing emergency medical care when needed in Israel.  

People all around the world are fighting for universal health care, fighting to save lives, and fighting for justice. Now more than ever, we must work together to get through this pandemic by being cautious, safe, and hopeful. We must think of others, not just ourselves. We must see beyond our differences to ensure a safe tomorrow for all in need.