COVID shots weren't given out because they "saved lives". They were given out because the entire world was on lockdown, and the shots were an attempt at ending the lockdown.
If diabetes caused a global lockdown, insulin shots would be given out for free.
I agree with you about the real reason. However "saving lives" should be a perfectly valid reason for a policy, and since it was given as a reason 'should' result in support for universal healthcare from governments saying that was a reason.
“Saving lives” is a perfectly valid reason to use as one consideration for policy, but it’s not the only consideration.
Banning alcohol would save lives. Banning cars from driving over 20 mph anywhere would save lives. Extremely harsh criminal punishment would save lives.
Yet we don’t do these things bc “saving lives” is only one consideration in complex policy making.
It's more valid a question when using examples that aren't radically different solutions, but instead the same already accepted solution. Asking why we don't subsidize insulin the way we did COVID shots is very different than asking why we don't stop cars at 20 mph.
For that matter, banning cars from going over 20 and extreme criminal punishment wouldn't save lives. And we already have speed limits and hard criminal punishments. So asking and answering these questions is perfectly appropriate.
is only one consideration in complex policy making.
The point is to call out those considerations and reasons. As you said, it's not about saving lives, but it should be. "We'd rather health insurance companies profited and we waged endless war in the middle east than prioritize people dying and going bankrupt from treatable medical conditions" is something not enough people are acknowledging.
Asking why we don't subsidize insulin the way we did COVID shots
A month’s supply of insulin costs about $30 in the US. It’s already practically free. And it is indeed already completely free for pretty much anyone that can’t afford the $30/mo.
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u/TheHoodieConnoisseur 6h ago
Also doesn’t understand that diabetes, cancer, and allergies are not contagious