Question

2.     According to some health care economists, the current epidemic of COVID - 19 in the United States (i.e. the rising morbidity and mortality from the spread of the coronavirus) bolsters the argument that health care should be a basic human right. As best you can, present their argument using at least one economic concept that we have discussed in class (i.e. externalities or public goods). Briefly explain why you agree or disagree with them.

Answer 1

I agree with the claim that health care should be a basic human right. Lack of accessibility to good quality healthcare in the events of a pandemic outbreak like the present Covid-19 outbreak can create negative externalities for those people who are not affected by it. Most of the modern manufacturing hiring low skilled workers at a cheap cost. It is these workers in manufacturing and allied activities that form the lowest strata of the economic ladder and those who do not have any protection from health hazards or the income to get treatment. Manufacturing in several key industries like steel and aluminium have a lot of forward linkages i.e. a lot of other non-manufacturing industries are dependent on their produce for survival in the market. Now, if due to the disease, the manufacturing workers are the one at most risk they can't afford treatment, the sector will shut down. It will have a ripple effect in the entire supply chain as the other forward linked industries can also not operate now despite being not directly affected by the pandemic. This is exactly the problem in many nations right now. Both fiscal and monetary policy to fight the pandemic can only have little impact as it can not bring back ill or dead workers back to work in key industries. This is why the focus of policy has been on improving funds for healthcare and trying to ensure that the poorest are paid a basic income so that they can continue consumption and pay for treatment and tests. But why do we have to wait for the pandemic to make us realize that such a policy is necessary. That, basic health care for all is a human right.