This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I am a radiation therapist working at Huntsman Cancer Hospital. I've been a therapist for 21 years and I've seen the things that can happen to people without health care. I'm very concerned that Donald Trump wants to get rid of Obamacare and replace it with a system that would make it more expensive for the average American and benefit those with a lot of money.
I've always believed that basic health care is a human right and not a privilege. The United States is the only developed country that doesn't guarantee health care for all of its citizens. I don't understand how in our Declaration of Independence we can say that all people are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and yet deny them a basic necessity such as health care.
I'm sure someone like Trump, who has never had to worry about paying for an emergency room visit or a physical, could think that health care should not be as important as it really is. I'm sure Trump has never had to worry about how to pay for a health care bill over feeding his children. I'm sure Trump has never had to go to the emergency room for a simple cold as opposed to seeking out a primary care physician.
How can we as Americans be OK with the fact that not all of our citizens have the basic human right of health care?
I believe it is the time that politicians look at what is best for all citizens as opposed to what's best for the bottom line or for large corporations that are making millions of dollars a year.
Free market economy is great but it shouldn't be at the expense of those who can't afford to take care of their families and take care of their own basic health care needs.
Amy N. Cabanilla, RTT
Salt Lake City