Times Argus

I wear a button that says “Health care is a human right.”

Growing up in Germany, I never ever thought that it couldn’t be. Yes, we had money taken out from our pay checks but it was definitely worth it: There was never a question or a problem to go to the doctor of my choice, to have procedures done or to go for recuperation to a sanatorium.

I was totally shocked when I came to the states and experienced the state of affairs in health care. How can a society function when the most basic of needs, the need to be healthy, is not taken care of? When people literally die for lack of funds to pay for health care? And while insurance companies make billions for totally inadequate care and not even that is available to everybody.

Isn’t it about time that the states join the rest of the civilized world?

Health care is a human right.

(I just found this letter to the editor I wrote in February 2011 when I cleaned up my computer yesterday. Did anything change drastically since then? Talking about progress.)

Elisabeth Hebert

Northfield