Realization of the international human right to health in an economically integrated North America. 2009

Eleanor D Kinney
William S. and Christine S. Hall Center for Law and Health at Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

With the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the health care sectors of the United States, Canada, and Mexico are becoming more economically integrated. NAFTA poses major challenges to the realization of the international human right. These include: (1) Cross Border Trade in Medical Products, (2) Cross Border Trade in Medical Services, and the attendant investment protections, (3) Portability and Comparability of Health Insurance Coverage, and (4) Protection of Public Health Insurance Programs. The United States, Mexico, and Canada all provide public health insurance programs either to the entire population as in Canada or to vulnerable groups as in the United States. In none of these countries have private, for-profit providers and insurers been able to provide universal and affordable health coverage and care in a truly free market. Private insurers and for-profit providers should not profit from the care of the healthy and wealthy in ways that compromise the public programs that serve the poor and seriously ill. Nor should they be allowed to use NAFTA processes to compromise public programs. Policy makers must consider implications of NAFTA and move toward assuring access to affordable health care for all people on the North American continent.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007391 International Cooperation The interaction of persons or groups of persons representing various nations in the pursuit of a common goal or interest. Foreign Aid,Treaties,Aid, Foreign,Cooperation, International,Treaty
D008800 Mexico A country in NORTH AMERICA, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between BELIZE and the UNITED STATES, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the UNITED STATES.
D011050 Policy Making The decision process by which individuals, groups or institutions establish policies pertaining to plans, programs or procedures. Analysis, Policy,Policy Analysis,Policy Development,Analyses, Policy,Development, Policy,Developments, Policy,Making, Policy,Policy Analyses,Policy Developments
D002170 Canada The largest country in North America, comprising 10 provinces and three territories. Its capital is Ottawa.
D006291 Health Policy Decisions, usually developed by government policymakers, for determining present and future objectives pertaining to the health care system. Health Care Policies,Health Policies,Healthcare Policy,National Health Policy,Care Policies, Health,Health Care Policy,Health Policy, National,Healthcare Policies,National Health Policies,Policies, Health,Policies, Health Care,Policies, Healthcare,Policy, Health,Policy, Health Care,Policy, Healthcare
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006806 Human Rights The right of the individual to cultural, social, economic, and educational opportunities as provided by society, e.g., right to work, right to education, and right to social security. Linguistic Rights,Right to Housing and Shelter,Rights of Indigenous Peoples,Collective Human Rights,Equal Rights,Human Rights, Collective,Indigenous Peoples Rights,Rights, Collective Human,Rights, Equal,Rights, Linguistic
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D019458 Insurance Coverage Generally refers to the amount of protection available and the kind of loss which would be paid for under an insurance contract with an insurer. (Slee & Slee, Health Care Terms, 2d ed) Insurance Status,Coverage, Insurance,Status, Insurance
D019981 Health Care Sector Economic sector concerned with the provision, distribution, and consumption of health care services and related products. Health Care Market,Healthcare Industry,Health Care Industry,Healthcare Market,Healthcare Sector,Industry, Healthcare,Health Care Industries,Health Care Markets,Health Care Sectors,Healthcare Industries,Healthcare Markets,Healthcare Sectors,Industries, Health Care,Industries, Healthcare,Industry, Health Care,Market, Health Care,Market, Healthcare,Markets, Health Care,Markets, Healthcare,Sector, Health Care,Sector, Healthcare,Sectors, Health Care,Sectors, Healthcare

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