Class Four - Health Care in America - Toward a Just System

Health care in the United States is one of the most complicated issues facing social justice advocates. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked the U.S. health care system as the highest in cost, first in responsiveness, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health. There were 191 member nations included in the study. A 2008 report by the Commonwealth Fund ranked the United States last in the quality of health care among the 19 compared countries. However, the U.S. is a leader in medical innovation, with three times higher per-capita spending than Europe. The U.S. also has higher survival rates than most other countries for certain conditions, such as cancer. You can read more about these statements above which are made here.

^{The Center for Economic and Social Rights discusses the philosophical question of whether people are entitled to healthcare in their piece The Right to Health in the United States of America. For a different view, check out this: The Political Fallacy That Medical Care is a Right. How do those two views grab you?}

AFL-CIO offers its take on What's Wrong with America's Health Care.

What do you think of the situation? Have you had any personal experiences that convince you there's a problem? Or is everything hunky-dory?