Some people think basic healthcare should be free for everyone | IELTS essay sample

Some people think basic healthcare should be free for everyone. Others believe people should pay their own medical costs. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Here is an essay on this topic submitted by one of our students. Send us your writing samples for a free band score estimate or get a detailed analysis of your writing for a fee. 

Band 7.5 IELTS essay sample 1

It is undoubtedly true that adequate healthcare is of extreme importance in the life of a person. Some people think that it must be free of charge for everybody. Others, however, believe that it is the responsibility of an individual to bear the entire cost involved in availing themselves of medical treatments and facilities.

It can be argued that a citizen pays a hefty sum of money as tax and so, authorities must provide all the treatment free of cost. While this can be true to a certain extent, I am of the opinion that being responsible for one’s medical expenditure can perhaps make a person more conscious of their health.

The affluent sections of the society pay a huge amount of tax to the government. The modern workforce, particularly those working in the public sector pay this sum from their monthly salary. Since this money is collected from the people, the government should certainly use it to provide various public services. So it seems that the demand for making fundamental health care free of cost is reasonable / justifiable.

On the flip side, there is a strong argument in favour of making individuals responsible for their healthcare. Once a person pays the exorbitant prescription and treatment charges he becomes wary of the expenses involved in the process. As a result, he makes conscious efforts to keep himself fit and healthy. For instance, in India many people do regular exercise and yoga just to avoid the huge treatment charges. Additionally, when people are responsible for their medical expenses, more and more of them will want to lead a healthy lifestyle. Having said that, the government must step in to help those who cannot afford to pay their medical bills.

In conclusion, I am of the view that although we pay massive amount of money in the form of tax, paying for our own treatment definitely helps in keeping us healthy and fit.

Band 7.5 IELTS essay sample 2

While some people think that people ought to be provided with free medical care, other people believe that cost involved in the treatment should be paid by the people themselves. In my opinion, free healthcare is imperative for the overall development of a nation.

On the one hand, some people believe that free healthcare enables every person to live a healthy life and I agree with them. Despite advancements in medical science, there are many unprivileged people who lack basic health care. As these people cannot afford the guidance and treatment of a doctor at the right time, they end up in life threatening conditions. For instance, deep vein thrombosis in pregnant women may lead to amputation of leg if not provided with timely medical treatment. Free medical care protects / saves people from preventable diseases and medical conditions and this in turn makes people strong and healthy.

On the other hand, providing free medical treatment for all people will be a burden on the government. This is particularly true in the case of poor and developing nations that do not have a big budget. In this case, rather than offering free healthcare to all people, the government should provide the rich with the option to pay for their care. In India, for example, government hospitals provide free medical treatment and it is mainly accessed by poor people. The rich go to private hospitals where they pay for their treatment.

In conclusion, free healthcare is beneficial for a nation and hence governments should strive to provide it through state funded hospitals. At the same time, there should be private hospitals where rich people can receive paid health services. This way, the burden on public exchequer can be reduced and the poor will still receive timely care.

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Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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