Health Care: A Right?

One of the bills discussed during the Oregon Legislature's February session was House Joint Resolution 100. HJR 100 proposed to amend the Oregon Constitution to say that health care is a right.  To protect that right, HJR 100 would require the Legislature to ensure access to health care.  The resolution reads:

The people of Oregon find that health care is an essential safeguard to human life and dignity and that access to health care is a fundamental right. In order to implement that right, the Legislative Assembly shall establish by law a plan for a system designed to provide to every legal resident of the state access to effective and affordable health care on a regular basis.

The resolution passed in the House, but did not get a vote in the Senate.  If it had passed both houses, the resolution would have gone on the Oregon ballot. To go into effect it would have needed approval by the voters of Oregon. 

Oregonians have been willing to amend the constitution for many reasons.  However, this fall voters rejected the Healthy Kids initiative, which would have put a cigarette tax in the state constitution. 

Should health care be considered a right?  Should we change the state constitution to make such a right explicit?  Are there other was to ensure that everyone has access to health care?