What do Orthodox Jews believe about healthcare?

Answer 1

It depends on what the healthcare is providing and what Rabbi is interpreting the social mandate.

Typically, on issues of medicine, the Orthodox approve of:

• Government or Private Medical Insurance (depending on what it covers)
• The use of any and all medicinal remedies (even if they contain non-kosher ingredients)
• The use of any electrical or other machinery to examine the human body
• The licensing and certification by the state or any viable accrediting agency for doctors (faith healers are not believed nor sought)
• Artificial Life Support
• Abortions when the life of the mother is threatened (physically)
• Birth Control, although it should be used sparingly

Typically, on issues of medicine, the Orthodox disapprove of:

• Abortion, except for the health of the mother
• Coverage by Insurance for birth control
• Government mandated or permitted decisions to end life (either by removing artificial life support or permitting euthanasia)
• Embryonic Stem Cells created explicitly for that purpose (having leftovers from the attempts to produce test-tube babies is fine)
• Autopsies of any sort
• Any prevention of Brit Milah (male circumcision)