Market Justice vs Social Justice

Market Justice vs Social Justice

One must first grasp their fundamental concepts to appreciate the distinctions between market justice and social justice. Market justice relies on the free market economy to govern healthcare distribution across the population, with individuals purchasing the healthcare services they value. In social justice, the government oversees the distribution of healthcare services and decides who has access to them (Lee, 2016). Market justice and social justice are both essential components of the US healthcare system, contributing to the complexity of the US healthcare system.

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Healthcare services are obtained financially, like other products and services purchased in a free market. It is considered that a free-market system can accomplish a fair distribution of healthcare services through fair-market forces in a system that employs market justice. It is unjust under a market justice system to provide healthcare to persons who have not made the requisite effort to gain the money to purchase these services. As a result, people wanting and able to pay control healthcare production and pricing (Singh, 2015). Market justice allows for inequities in healthcare services as long as they result from a fair market system (Shi & Singh, 2022).

In a social justice system, society is seen to be accountable for providing equal healthcare to its members. In contrast to market justice, many who support a social justice system argue that denying people access to healthcare is unjust because they cannot afford it. Healthcare is a fundamental right in a social justice system (Sing, 2015). As a result, a centralized agency, typically the government, controls the provision of services to the populace. Those who advocate for social justice think that by providing healthcare to all members of society, society will be healthier, and healthcare expenses will be decreased.

While market and social justice are opposed, both have a place in the US healthcare system. Market justice typically benefits the upper and middle classes, who can afford health insurance, often partially paid for by their employer (Lee, 2016). This enables individuals to obtain varying levels of coverage based on the level of risk they are comfortable with. Social justice assists members of our community who cannot afford coverage or do not have employer-sponsored health policies (Lee, 2016). This healthcare coverage is often provided by either Medicare, which provides healthcare for the older population that is primarily no longer working, or Medicaid, which covers children and persons of working age who qualify based on income (Anderson et al., 2009). Both social justice and market justice strive for equality and fair treatment of persons. They differ in how they intend to achieve this goal.

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References

Anderson, J. M., Rodney, P., Reimer-Kirkham, S., Browne, A. J., Khan, K. B., & Lynam, M. J. (2009). Inequities in health and healthcare viewed through the ethical lens of critical social justice: Contextual knowledge for the global priorities ahead. Advances in Nursing Science, 32(4), 282–294.

Lee, M. J. (2016). Between Social Justice and Market Justice: Ethics of Health Care Leadership. Journal of Healthcare Ethics and Administration, 2(2).

Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2022). Delivering health care in America: A systems approach (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Singh, Douglas A. Essentials of the US health care system. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2015.

Week 6: Public Health Ethics, Social Justice and Poverty

1. Social Justice vs. Market Justice

Public health nurses are also guided by market and social justice principles (Cornerstones of Public Health Nursing, MDH 2007). The concept of market justice has shaped the economy of the United States. Under this principle, people are entitled only to things acquired through their efforts, actions, or abilities. The principle of social justice, on the other hand, is that the benefits of society should be fairly and equitably distributed to ensure the functioning of society as a whole. Social justice reflects the belief that everyone should have the same access to societal resources, which should be used to provide the greatest good for the most significant number. Market justice reflects the belief that people deserve what they earn. At times, the principles of the market and social justice conflict. Both perspectives have value. However, citizens don’t necessarily agree with each other on which form of justice or set of beliefs should direct how health care is provided to the population. Review the Market Just ce-Social Justice Table 13.4 (p. 257) and a section on Market Justice vs. Social Justice (p. 256) in Schoon, Porta, & Schaffer (2019) to answer the following questions.

a. Which concept of justice is the best fit for you?  Explain. No right or wrong answer. This is only an opportunity for reflection.

b. Pick market or social justice and explain how advocating for that type of justice could improve the health of vulnerable populations and eliminate health disparities.

c. Why is it essential for you to understand your beliefs around social justice?

2. Unnatural Causes Reflection

While we all will die, the video “Unnatural Causes” introduces you to excess death. For instance, the video considers death in populations as it relates to unexpected age of death, degree of suffering, and to what degree causes are due to preventable diseases compared to what we expect. Population health is s aped by the social and economic conditions in which we are born, live, and work. Though this video is d ted, many of the issues addressed may still have relevance. After watching the video, answer the following questions.

a. How may your position on the class pyramid affect your health? Provide examples.

b. Have social changes been responsible for the 30-year increase in American life expectancy over the 20th century?

c. Identify at least two public health issues addressed in the video, and provide a rationale for whether these remain issues. Include any associated potential lasting effects of these public health issues.

d. Identify a local issue that came to mind when viewing this film in the community where you live, work, or play. What can public health nurses do to influence change related to this issue?

3. Health Equity & Health Disparities

a. Provide an actual example in which your local community has met/addressed health equity or health disparity needs within your community. What health concerns o  social determinants were addressed? How did your community address this need? What population benefi ed from this initiative?

b. Identify a health equity or health disparity concern in your local community that needs to be addressed. Identify and describe t least two causes or social health determinants associated with this concern. What population is most vulnerable? What are the potential long-term consequences for the vulnerable population if this concern is not addressed? Describe an example of a community or systems level of practice public health intervention to address this public health concern.