At what point does a community become responsible for the health of individuals. When does a state or a nation

become responsible for individual or community health? What are your thoughts on responsibility for individual health? To what extent is each individual accountable for his or her own level of wholeness and soundness?At what point does a community become responsible for the health of individuals. When does a state or a nation
Good liberal answer Fish GuyAt what point does a community become responsible for the health of individuals. When does a state or a nation
In a country like the US, there should be access to affordable health care for all.





It is the individual responsibility of each person to seek health care, but the situation we find ourselves in now is that affordable health care is available only to those who have higher paying jobs, or who have medical insurance through a company (unless you have a pre existing condition, then you may be out of luck anyway).





The US is the ONLY westernized nation without some sort of universal health care.








That leaves millions of working folks, small business owners and employees, people who do contract work and so on, uninsured. This is in addition to millions of poor families and individuals without access to health care.
A truly altruistic culture is responsible for the health and well being of every member of the culture, from conception to death and beyond. A member of such a culture is much more likely to be more personally responsible for his/her own health.





If your mother nursed your siblings whenever they were ill, but told you to take care of your own damned problems, when you were ill, do you think you would be more or less likely to develop the self esteem required to maintain your own ';wholeness and soundness';?





A healthy culture is a culture that makes everyone aware that they matter. It makes everyone feel that they are appreciated by the other members of their tribe. That feeling of belonging is far less likely to breed contempt toward the culture.





You may not believe it, because you have great health insurance or are physically fit, or whatever, but it is in all of our best interest to make the least amongst us know that they belong to the tribe. Even you.
Those who truely cannot provide for themselves should be helped. The problem is, who decides the cut-off line. I have friends who would qualify for free hand outs that provide their own health care easily. I have others who make alot of money and choose not to provde healthcare for themselves. The responsibility for healthcare rests firmly on the shoulders of the individual. If it does not then we will wind up with Canadian or European style healthcare in this country. Ask Ted Kennedy how he would feel about that. He would still be waiting for a diagnosis for his cancer in that system.
The government should only be responsible for those who cannot do for themselves - not those who will not do for themselves.
Only individuals can be responsible.