[nradov]

The human race managed to survive pretty well for millennia without any sort of healthcare system. So how essential is it? Most of the major modern gains in life expectancy have been due to public sanitation and childhood vaccination. Everything else we get from healthcare is marginal.

Healthcare is certainly important, and we ought to provide affordable access to at least basic healthcare to everyone. But it's not essential in the same way as water, food, housing, and energy.