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Isn't food a human right? Why isn't it available to everyone at no cost?
In a perfect world, it would be . I'd be all for coming up with a government-run food distribution program that allowed individuals to get basic food (fruits, vegetables, rice, meats; not alcohol, prepared restaurant food, or filet mignon) at no cost. Unfortunately, it's not politically possible.
However, food is generally affordable. Buying groceries for the week won't bankrupt you, and states generally have programs to help people buy food. If all else fails, people can get food through local charities or the kindness of strangers.
The same cannot be said for healthcare . . . one operation can ruin someone financially for the rest of their life, while not having insurance can lead to the denial of life-saving medical treatment, leading someone to face the worst thing that could ever happen to a human being -- death. Your analogy doesn't work, friend.
I'm sure this will be quite controversial, so all the more fun to strike up a conversation about it. I don't have a 100% answer, but I have some thoughts.
The question:
Should a pre-existing condition be covered as part of regular health insurance plans?
The facts:
The concept of insurance is that it is a way to financially hedge yourself against an unexpected occurrence such as breaking a leg or getting struck by lightning. For things like home owners and car insurance, you couldn't get insurance to pay for physical damage that already exists...aka, a "pre-existing" condition.
Part of the problem with "pre-existing" conditions is that the concept only exists because we are forced to change insurance providers if/when we change jobs.
My thoughts:
Personally I don't think they should be covered as part of a regular insurance plan because I think that may be part of what causes insurance to be so expensive overall. I wonder if the market place could come up with some insurance product that is targeted at those with pre-existing conditions, or that you somehow pay into separately from regular insurance that can only be used once certain ailments are diagnosed like cancer, diabetes, or other commonly identified "pre-existing" conditions?
I also think that shifting insurance from being something that most employers provide, to something that individuals shop for and purchase on their own would go a LONG way in changing this situation.
I'm sure others have different thoughts and ideas, or would just like to chime in and call me evil or crazy.....
Absolutely not. If insurance companies are required to include pre-existing conditions, then (as you already pointed out) it ceases to be "insurance." People would have to be complete morons to by an "insurance" policy before they needed one if it includes pre-existing conditions. Instead, people will buy an insurance policy only after they become sick or injured. Then once they are well, immediately cancel the policy.
Requiring pre-existing condition coverage will bankrupt the health insurance industry, which I am certain is the true goal of these Neo-Progressives.
Life-saving medical treatment is not a "service," it's a human right, and it needs to be available to all people at no cost.
Edit: yes, I know we ultimately pay the cost through taxes, and that's fine. I mean "at no out-of-pocket cost to the individual."
The only inherent rights you have are those you are born with, and no others. No one has the right to inflict their whims on others, and that includes medical treatment. You also do not have the right to force others to pay for services rendered to you, through taxes or any other means. If you desire medical treatment, then you must pay for the services that were rendered to you. This parasitic "entitlement" mentality needs to stop.
The only inherent rights you have are those you are born with, and no others. No one has the right to inflict their whims on others, and that includes medical treatment. You also do not have the right to force others to pay for services rendered to you, through taxes or any other means. If you desire medical treatment, then you must pay for the services that were rendered to you. This parasitic "entitlement" mentality needs to stop.
Life is a fundamental human right. It's something you're born with. Denying someone healthcare strips them of their right to life. That is not "entitlement," that is basic human ethics.
The only inherent rights you have are those you are born with, and no others. No one has the right to inflict their whims on others, and that includes medical treatment. You also do not have the right to force others to pay for services rendered to you, through taxes or any other means. If you desire medical treatment, then you must pay for the services that were rendered to you. This parasitic "entitlement" mentality needs to stop.
So, if you can't afford it, you should die? How in the world is someone supposed to pay $200,000 or more per year for the rest of their lives?
Life is a fundamental human right. It's something you're born with. Denying someone healthcare strips them of their right to life. That is not "entitlement," that is basic human ethics.
Fine, when you completely abolish abortion then you can talk about life being an inherent right. Until that time you are nothing more than a hypocrite.
Life is indeed something you are born with, and by definition that makes life an "inherent right." However, you do NOT have the right to impose your life on others by demanding that they provide you with a service for free. If you want healthcare services, be prepared to pay for them, treat yourself, or go without. Those are your only choices.
So, if you can't afford it, you should die? How in the world is someone supposed to pay $200,000 or more per year for the rest of their lives?
That is entirely up to the individual. If they want to debase themselves and live in abject poverty because they are afraid, that is their choice. Personally, I would rather live what remains of my life with a modicum of dignity than lose all self-respect and become a parasite upon society. That is my choice.
I had insurance when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease that requires daily medication and specialist visits/colonoscopies/tests every few years, for the rest of my life. But I've switched insurance companies a number of times since I was diagnosed, once when I left my parents' policy and started a job, and twice more for changed jobs.
I've always been covered for this pre-existing condition because the government requires that I be covered as long as I'm in a group policy and haven't had any gaps in coverage
Does anyone really think new insurance policies shouldn't cover me?
I do not like the fact that I essentially can't buy insurance except through a group (employer sponsored insurance), because if I buy insurance on my own they will not cover my condition. I like how the new healthcare bill will give me that choice of plans, one of these years.
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. I'd be all for coming up with a government-run food distribution program that allowed individuals to get basic food (fruits, vegetables, rice, meats; not alcohol, prepared restaurant food, or filet mignon) at no cost. Unfortunately, it's not politically possible. 
