When compared to all other high-income, developed countries, the United States has the worst health outcomes, including the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for treatable conditions, and the highest infant mortality rates. Despite this, the United States spends nearly 18% of its GDP on health care, far more than all other high-income nations. (The Commonwealth Fund, 2023) With the United States lagging far behind its peers, and most of developed Europe having some sort of universal healthcare system, the age-old political debate for government-funded healthcare in the country continues.
Although some government alternatives exist, like Medicare for people age 65 and older, healthcare largely remains a business in the United States. “Our health insurance for a family of four costs approximately $2000 per month. We pay $500 while our employer pays $1500,” says Jim Parker, a private health insurance consumer. He explains that, “The cost of health insurance likely surpasses the cost of housing for many families.” The average cost of health insurance for an individual in the United States is about $477 a month, a steep price to pay considering that in other countries such as England, the National Health Service exists, which provides free healthcare services to all residents.
Expensive healthcare also may limit access to medical treatment. Mary Branick, Director, Coding Audit and Physician Billing, at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, explains that “Financial aid is available for severe cases of need but families need to qualify. For commercial insurance, high deductibles make it difficult for families and those are the ones most likely to complain about their bills.” In fact, the Federal Reserve found that “Twenty-eight percent of adults went without some form of medical care in 2022 because they could not afford it” (Board of Governors of The Federal Reserve System, 2023). Those with lower incomes reported being in good health less often than those with higher incomes, which is a clear problem as no one should have to have their health suffer simply because they cannot afford the medical care they need.
It’s clear that we have a problem with healthcare costs in the United States, and it’s a concern frequented in many elections with some candidates proposing “Medicare For All”. No matter what, it is crucial that we remain committed to striving to create a world where health is a universal right, not a privilege.
Sources:
Interviewees:
Jim Parker
Mary Branick
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