Comment by randlet | Hacker News Reader

Comment by randlet | Hacker News Reader

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> the government should not be paying for people's health care. It enables bad behaviors and it forces people who make good choices to subsidize people who make bad choices

What bad choice did a 5 year old with leukemia make? Do you want to live in a country where parents have to simply accept the death of their child because they can't afford a treatment? What about when your friend, lover, spouse can't afford treatment for a curable condition that they weren't responsible for causing?

You may be happy with that situation, but I'm not. I'm happy to contribute and benefit from a government funded healthcare system and I accept the trade off that that this means that sometimes we're collectively going to pay for people who have made bad choices in their lives.

>Do you want to live in a country where parents have to simply accept the death of their child because they can't afford a treatment?

I want to live in a country where people are responsible. The argument presented basically holds children hostage so the parents can live their lives free of trade offs between lifestyle and health, education, and etc. I fail to see why I should care more about my neighbor's child than my neighbors do.

So how does the neighbour determine how much they value their child? Are they paying for it all out of pocket, or are they investing in insurance?

I'm sorry but I don't understand the argument you're making, or why you think contributing to universal health care would mean you care about your neighbours child more than they do. Bad things can and do happen to people no matter how "responsibly" (according to who?) they live. Maybe you are suggesting only the wealthy should have children?

I'll be happy to continue when you acknowledge that there are more than the choices of universal health care and paying for everything out of pocket.

It's very strange how insurance works for homes, for cars, for libel, and many other things, yet somehow no one here is willing to entertain the fact that health insurance also works to pay for health care.

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