Mobilizing for the Right to Health and Health Care
Questions for Discussion
How would a federal Constitutional Amendment help advance a right to health care?
What actions could lead to the adoption of such an amendment?
What short-term and mid-term goals would be necessary to develop a campaign to amend the Constitution for a right to health care?
What other approaches to ensure the human right to health care would likely generate public support?
Human Rights-Based Guidelines for Analyzing Vermont’s Legislation
The following questions were used to analyze the state of Vermont’s proposed legislation on health care in the late 2000s. They were directly tied to human rights principles for health care. Consider how these questions could be used in advocacy for health care in your community.
Does the system provide health care for all?
Does the system provide equal access to comprehensive health care services?
Does the system treat health care as a public good?
Does the system eliminate barriers to use needed health care services?
Is the system financed equitably?
Do people pay for their health care on their ability to pay without regard to unrelated factors such as age, gender, employment, or health status?
Does the system use money effectively and efficiently?
Does the system allocate resources equitably, according to health needs?
Does the system improve the quality of health care by rewarding providers who utilize best practices and provide excellent outcomes?
Does the system enable meaningful community participation?
Is the system accountable to the people it serves?
Sources Adapted from McGill (2012, p. 111); see also more detailed guidelines with links to specific aspects of the right to health care on the Vermont Workers’ Center website at: http://www.workerscenter.org/sites/default/files/hchr_hsiao_assessment.pdf.