U.S. doesn’t fully protect right to health care like other countries, report finds

The U.S. is falling behind many other high-income countries on constitutionally ensuring health and disability rights for its citizens, according to a new report from UCLA’s nonprofit WORLD Policy Analysis Center. Here’s more: 

• Health rights: 142 countries globally provide some sort of constitutional right to health, and more than 40% countries specify a right to medical care or services, whereas the U.S. doesn’t have those certain provisions. 
• Disability rights: Only 27% of countries worldwide have constitutions that specifically prohibit discrimination or guarantee equal treatment on the basis of disability. The U.S. Constitution guarantees equal treatment, but isn’t specific to people with disabilities. 
• Reproductive rights: Only 6% of constitutions worldwide include pregnancy as a prohibited ground for discrimination. Only 9% of constitutions globally address reproductive health care or maternal health in some form.