Abstract
Since we live in a healthcare system where someone else takes care of our healthcare dollars, the concept of good financial stewardship and the duty to be fiscally responsible with limited healthcare money is supported by the ethical concept of justice. The balance of profit and social justice is a true dilemma as health organizations must make profit within the American free market system. However, a health organization’s financial statement is their ethics statement, as what they spend their money on displays what’s important to them, i.e. millions of dollars on executive compensation versus reduction of costs that can ultimately reduce premiums that affect affordability, usage, and downstream prevention. When everyone doesn’t get to share in the benefits of health profits, health equity is compromised. Further, Ethical Developmental Stage Theory notes that it is possible for people to not be able to make certain decisions because of their ethical maturity, providing an understanding as to why healthcare executives can take home salaries of multi-millions of dollars, yet be alright that healthcare is unaffordable and inaccessible for many. This talk calls for the consideration of caps on executive compensation as a form of health policy. This is argued based on the fact that access to healthcare in the U.S. is through a commodity-based product purchased on the open market; in essence it’s not a right, but a privilege. However, since healthcare is something every human needs, it simply cannot be employed in the same manner as a company that sells shoes.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Public Health Policies and Practices
KEYWORDS
Ethics, Professionalism, Equity, Responsibility, Policy, Health
Digital Media
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