Paul T. Menzel's advocacy for a healthcare system where basic health insurance is both legally mandated and free is an attempt to tackle the expensive and dysfunctional American healthcare system. His approach somewhat mirrors the ACA which mandates insurance purchase but does not make it free. Comparatively, other healthcare systems have lower costs and are more accessible but face different challenges. So the statement is not correct i.e. False.
The debate about whether accessible and low-cost healthcare is a basic human right is central to the discussions surrounding the American healthcare system. Government-mandated healthcare, as suggested by Paul T. Menzel, is one approach where basic health insurance is both legally mandated and free. This means that while everyone must have health insurance, the basic tier would be at no cost to the individual, funded instead by the government. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as Obamacare, moved in this direction by mandating that all Americans purchase health insurance and providing subsidies to make it more affordable, but it stopped short of making it free.
The ACA also aimed to improve accessibility by preventing insurance providers from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions. This was an attempt to mitigate the problem of adverse selection in the insurance market and spread costs among both the healthy and the sick. The American healthcare system has been criticized for being expensive and inefficient, with a notable number of uninsured persons. In comparison, other countries operate systems with lower costs and more equal access but also face challenges in rapid access and cutting-edge treatments. Discussions continue on how to strike the right balance between quality, access, and cost in healthcare. So the statement is not correct i.e. False.