A guest columnist argues that healthcare should be recognized as a human right, not a commodity, contrasting America’s profit-driven health insurance system with universal healthcare models. Walter Cronkite observed, “America’s healthcare system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system,” describing it as complex, profit-driven, and often inaccessible without universal healthcare.
Universal healthcare means everyone has access to quality health services—prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care—without financial hardship. The U.S. currently operates a “for-profit” oriented health insurance system. Studies show an American dies every 12 minutes due to lack of healthcare insurance. A joint University of Pennsylvania and Yale study indicates certain Congressional actions could lead to over 51,000 preventable deaths annually, with cumulative insurance-related mortality potentially resulting in over 195,000 deaths per year. Approximately 28 million Americans are currently uninsured, with many more underinsured.
Comparative data reveals stark disparities: the U.S. spends roughly double per person on healthcare as other wealthy countries ($15,500 versus $7,500 per capita), yet outcomes are only half as good. Life expectancy is lowest among comparable nations at 78.4 years in 2023—nearly four years shorter. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate (18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births versus 5.1 for peer nations) and infant mortality rate (5.4 per 1,000 live births, double rates in Japan and Norway). In one example, 42% of chronically ill U.S. adults have forgone care because of costs, compared to 5% in the Netherlands and other high-income nations. The American Bar Association asserts healthcare is a right, not a luxury or marketable commodity—a principle embedded in international law. The columnist asks whether fear of change—“blind ignorance, blind arrogance, apathy, or all three”—prevents healthcare reform.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://state-journal.com/2026/02/17/guest-columnist-is-healthcare-a-right-or-a-commodity/