The Self-Provision of Public Healthcare Services: A Threat to Democracy

How and why could the self-provision of public healthcare services pose a threat to democratic values? We define the informal self-provision of healthcare, identify the factors that promote its appearance, and discuss its destructive implications for society. In addition to substantiating the existence of these strategies around the world, we also maintain that in the long run, such strategies may crush traditional political participation and weaken democratic values.