[phkahler]

>> It's worth so much that a person shouldn't be required to pay for it. Like a right.

It can't be a right. That would mean someone has an obligation to provide it. I would say it's worth so much that a monopoly on it should not be allowed.

[ceejayoz]

> It can't be a right. That would mean someone has an obligation to provide it.

By that logic, voting can't be a right, because someone has to register voters, run the polling booths, count the votes, etc.

[njarboe]

If the health care system was mostly staffed by unpaid volunteers, I might agree. As it stands health care is 17% of US GDP (10% global) and growing.

[accountyaccount]

Society has an obligation to provide it, just as it does drinking water.

[camiller]

I get a water bill every month...

Also, I know folks on well water that live outside of the city, society does not provide their drinking water.

Also, There is Flint MI.

[accountyaccount]

YOU get a bill. Society pays for public drinking fountains, homeless shelters, section 8 housing, etc... where water is provided for the less fortunate at a scaled societal contribution (or free).

Flint MI is an absolute crisis and the government has stepped in, the state of Michigan sued the city, and there have been over a dozen criminal indictments. Multiple governments have stepped in to repair the obligation of clean drinking water, and to punish those who failed the citizens.

[phkahler]

You got it backwards. There is no obligation to provide drinking water. In fact most places where the city puts it in they force people to use the provided water and NOT put in wells. Then they send a bill.

[bykovich2]

This is bonkers logic. It's wrong to coerce someone into providing the cure, but it's right to coerce someone out of forming a monopoly?

[PeterisP]

An IP-based monopoly can't exist unless the society enforces the concept of that IP, e.g. coerces anyone to not make the treatment without a valid licence.

The monopoly isn't made by the company, it's a conditional and time-limited offer given by the society to promote the creation of such things.

[orbitur]

If you show up in a random hospital with an injury or disease, they are already obligated to provide care, it's just you're directly responsible for the bill.

The individual shouldn't be paying.

[thescriptkiddie]

In the US it actually doesn't work this way. Hospitals are only obligated to provide care for people whose lives are in immediate danger. Once the patient is stabilized, the hospital is free to kick them out. There are a handful of exceptions and many hospitals will provide care out of charity, but don't expect to get a half-million dollar cancer treatment unless you have health insurance or really good credit.