01 Who Should Medical Insurance Cover?
/01 Who Should Medical Insurance Cover?
*Carsin was a cheerful girl attending elementary school in this country.
/*Carsin was a cheerful girl attending elementary school in this country.
Recently, she had learned about “taxes” and “medical insurance” in social studies class, and had started to take a small interest in politics.
/Recently, she had learned about “taxes” and “medical insurance” in social studies class, and had started to take a small interest in politics.
One day, *Carsin heard on the news that “foreigners using medical insurance is becoming a problem.”
/One day, *Carsin heard on the news that “foreigners using medical insurance is becoming a problem.”
“Huh? People from other countries are using our medical insurance? Isn’t that unfair?”
/“Huh? People from other countries are using our medical insurance? Isn’t that unfair?”
*Carsin felt a bit uneasy.
/*Carsin felt a bit uneasy.
The next day, she talked about it with her friends at school.
/The next day, she talked about it with her friends at school.
Then her classmate Khalid said,
/Then her classmate Khalid said,
“But if you get sick, you want help, right? If you went to another country and got sick, wouldn’t you want help too?”
/“But if you get sick, you want help, right? If you went to another country and got sick, wouldn’t you want help too?”
“Hmm… that’s true, but taxes are paid by our parents, right? Isn’t it unfair if someone who just arrived uses that money?”
/“Hmm… that’s true, but taxes are paid by our parents, right? Isn’t it unfair if someone who just arrived uses that money?”
That afternoon, on the way home from the supermarket with her mother, *Carsin met an old man sitting on a bench in a nearby park.
/That afternoon, on the way home from the supermarket with her mother, *Carsin met an old man sitting on a bench in a nearby park.
The old man used to work at city hall and knew a lot about the community.
/The old man used to work at city hall and knew a lot about the community.
*Carsin bravely asked him,
/*Carsin bravely asked him,
“Grandpa, can people from other countries use medical insurance too?”
/“Grandpa, can people from other countries use medical insurance too?”
The old man smiled and replied,
/The old man smiled and replied,
“That’s a good question. Medical insurance is a system for people living in this country. If someone from another country registers as a resident and pays insurance fees, they can use it too.”
/“That’s a good question. Medical insurance is a system for people living in this country. If someone from another country registers as a resident and pays insurance fees, they can use it too.”
“But isn’t it unfair if someone just arrives and uses it?”
/“But isn’t it unfair if someone just arrives and uses it?”
The old man thought for a moment and said,
/The old man thought for a moment and said,
“*Carsin, fairness and equity are a little different. Fairness means treating people rightly based on their situation. Equity means treating everyone the same.”
/“*Carsin, fairness and equity are a little different. Fairness means treating people rightly based on their situation. Equity means treating everyone the same.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
/“Huh? What do you mean?”
“For example, someone with a leg injury gets a wheelchair. A healthy person doesn’t need one. That’s fairness. Giving everyone the same chair is equity. But then, the injured person would struggle.”
/“For example, someone with a leg injury gets a wheelchair. A healthy person doesn’t need one. That’s fairness. Giving everyone the same chair is equity. But then, the injured person would struggle.”
*Carsin began to understand.
/*Carsin began to understand.
“So even people from other countries should be helped if they’re in trouble—that’s fairness?”
/“So even people from other countries should be helped if they’re in trouble—that’s fairness?”
“Exactly. Of course, it’s a problem if someone keeps using it without paying. But helping someone who suddenly gets sick is an important human value.”
/“Exactly. Of course, it’s a problem if someone keeps using it without paying. But helping someone who suddenly gets sick is an important human value.”
“But taxes are limited, right?”
/“But taxes are limited, right?”
“That’s right. That’s why politics matters. Deciding who to help and how to build systems—that’s politics. And thinking about it is the role of the people.”
/“That’s right. That’s why politics matters. Deciding who to help and how to build systems—that’s politics. And thinking about it is the role of the people.”
*Carsin’s eyes sparkled.
/*Carsin’s eyes sparkled.
“So we can think about it too? About how to make systems everyone agrees with?”
/“So we can think about it too? About how to make systems everyone agrees with?”
The old man smiled happily.
/The old man smiled happily.
“Of course. That’s the first step to being a global citizen.”
/“Of course. That’s the first step to being a global citizen.”
From that day on, when *Carsin watched the news, she didn’t just listen—she started asking herself, “Is this fair? Is this equitable?”
/From that day on, when *Carsin watched the news, she didn’t just listen—she started asking herself, “Is this fair? Is this equitable?”
And during moral education class, *Carsin shared her thoughts:
/And during moral education class, *Carsin shared her thoughts:
“Medical insurance is something that helps everyone live safely. But how we use it and how it’s designed should be something we all think about together.”
/“Medical insurance is something that helps everyone live safely. But how we use it and how it’s designed should be something we all think about together.”
The teacher nodded and said,
/The teacher nodded and said,
“That’s what it means to care about politics. A wonderful idea.”
/“That’s what it means to care about politics. A wonderful idea.”
*Carsin thought to herself,
/*Carsin thought to herself,
“There’s something I can do too.”
/“There’s something I can do too.”
Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
/Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
Q1. What did *Carsin wonder about?
/Q1. What did *Carsin wonder about?
A. Whether foreigners can speak the language of this country
/A. Whether foreigners can speak the language of this country
B. Whether it’s fair for foreigners to use medical insurance
/B. Whether it’s fair for foreigners to use medical insurance
C. Whether foreigners go to school in this country
/C. Whether foreigners go to school in this country
Q2. What did the old man say “fairness” means?
/Q2. What did the old man say “fairness” means?
A. Giving everyone the same thing
/A. Giving everyone the same thing
B. Treating people rightly based on their situation
/B. Treating people rightly based on their situation
C. Prioritizing people who have a lot of money
/C. Prioritizing people who have a lot of money
Let’s Think!
/Let’s Think!
① Have you ever thought, “That’s unfair!”? How did you feel when you considered the other person’s situation?
/① Have you ever thought, “That’s unfair!”? How did you feel when you considered the other person’s situation?
② When it comes to systems like healthcare and taxes that involve everyone, what do you think is important to value?
/② When it comes to systems like healthcare and taxes that involve everyone, what do you think is important to value?
