539. The compulsory health insurance: a responsible health

The economic and social development in the last hundred years has brought a great improvement in quality of life and a substantial increase in life expectancy. Simultaneously, living more years significantly increased health expenditure, reflecting more and better quality health care to the population.

Western governments have behaved the budgets of public health, however, the trend of an aging population has led to a disproportionate increase in health spending, so they begin to be at risk the viability of the existence of national health services tend to be free and accessible to the entire population.

Since current trends continue to provide for a growing aging population and a large drop in the birth rate (large reduction of the workforce in most developed countries over the next thirty to forty years) if there is a profound change in the pattern of economic development neoliberal soon we will have a failure of public health model in Portugal.

Incumbent upon the state to counter this disturbing trend now and create mechanisms to radically reverse the collapse for which is being thrown also our National Health Service, which will very quickly without the financial means of support. Besides being extremely urgent to promote a policy for families to increase rapidly the birthrate in Portugal (factor number one and most important for the sustainability and viability of the country), each Portuguese citizen has a moral duty and ethical also contribute to support of health charges that want to have throughout your life.

Each citizen must also face the financial burden as family health; Tues budget for health expenses must be exactly the same level as having money to buy a house or car, go on holiday to the Algarve or touring abroad, or pay addictions to tobacco, coffee or alcohol. Thus, for example who spend € 1,000 on holiday should also pass the saving € 1,000 for medical expenses, not doing so is a crime and that means someone else will have to spend this money later.

It is urgently necessary to create health insurance mandatory for all persons without exception, every citizen must take responsibility for their own health and not be dependent financially on others when sick or invalid. The S.N.S. can not continue to be free and every Portuguese tend to contribute equitably to the charges which require the National Health Service throughout his life.  

And not for the National Health Service expenditure on social vices lead negligent: combat alcoholism, tobacco derived from any illness, drug addiction or get abortions are examples that have no pertinence be at the expense of the budget of the National Health Service or physicians formed at the expense of taxes of working people. In these cases it is for the people themselves to make full payment of their own vices themselves and seek other alternatives to the National Health Service is not for other citizens supporting financially responsible behavior and anti-social vices practiced by others.

The state should concentrate primarily the resources of the National Health Service to those in need and who is responsible, it is simply a question of morals and ethics. Only thus can remain viable in the existence of a National Health Service public.