Health Care: A United States Crisis
Health Care is the prevention or treatment of illness doctors or health professionals who have studied and dedicated their lives to helping people. It should be an inalienable right to be treated for sickness or prevention without having to worry about receiving exorbitant hospital bills that will make a person decide between treatment or food.
The cost of healthcare is a question that the government and its citizens have debated perennially. InsideGov statistics reveal that, “The United States spends almost 1 trillion dollars per year on health care. However, almost 50 percent of that budget is spent on only 5 percent of the population”. This makes citizens wonder, how are their tax dollars spent so frivolously in such a manner? Keep in mind that this government also needs to spend money on education, infrastructure, defense, social security, and many more. Despite this the government must spend more money on health care or come up with a budget that allocates spending without waste. The middle and lower class have many financial obligations and are heavily burdened by the cost of health insurance. Therefore, the government must provide health care for the following reasons. without having a good insurance provider
One major reason as to why there should be universal healthcare in the United States are the high cost of treatments and surgeries. An example could be chronic diseases such as Diabetes and high/low blood pressure. These diseases are a worldwide occurrence. Of all the developed countries, the U.S. has the highest prevalence of diabetes. It is a grueling disease that has to be meticulously taken care of, if not the effects are grave. People with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus often rely on taking insulin several times a day. According to the American Diabetes Association, “People with diabetes who do not have health insurance have 79% fewer physician office visits and are prescribed 68% fewer medications than people with insurance coverage—but they also have 55% more emergency department visits than people who have insurance.” This means that only 21 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes get proper care. While the other 79 percent go to the hospital only if they are in dire pain and have to get treated. In essence, many people literally cannot afford to go hospitals for treatment.
Another reason as to why there should be universal healthcare in the United States is the cost of medication. Without good insurance, it is nearly impossible for the average American to afford medicine that is prescribed to them. Policies that are very relaxed towards pharmaceutical companies are detrimental to the public and in the long run will cost the government more money. Countries such as Canada for instance have a price ceiling on the cost of medication and are making amendments that would force pharmaceutical companies to reveal the true price that is charged to insurance companies. The U.S. should follow in these footsteps and contain prices but not too much where it will be difficult for everyone to get medication because of accessibility.
Lastly, the United States should provide health insurance to improve the overall standard of living. This will improve the mistrust between citizens and its government. The United States ranks as the17th best country for quality of life. As a country that leads the world stage with its economic prowress, it is disparaging to be so far down the list. On a scale of 1-10 the U.S. recieved a 0.8 for afordability and a 3.7 for a well developed public health system. Furthermore, by being able to not worry hospital/medical bills, Americans will have more money to spend on their education and small businesses around them. This will help the economy and society flourish. It will also help remove the stigma that hospitals are businesses more than places where you can receive medical attention.
The main agrument against universal healthcare in the U.S. is the cost to tax payers. Many Americans do not feel comfortable paying higher tax rates for a system that they feel they wouldn’t use much. Americans work ethic is unparrallled with other countries and the hard earned money of its citizens is hard to take away. Regarding to health however, people don’t feel like they need medical attention until they get ill. That is why it is imparative that the citizens get proactive and should commence working with their elected officals who can help bring fruitful changes. Currently the government spends enough on health care but it doesn’t allocate the money properly to where it would be streamlined and most effective. Rhetoric that the United States cannot afford Universal healthcare is rudementary and helpful to insurance/ pharmacutical companies who keep eluding real conversations and change.
The positives outmatch negative outcomes from having universal healthcare. It is inevitable that the United States as any country will have issues and quirks from implementing the progam in the beginning stages of its life. Nevertheless, it will all be worth it once the majority of citizens will be able receive healthcare without worrying wether they should pay their mortgage or go to the hospital. No one from a developed country should have to contemplate such a descion.
Bibliography
• Alexanian S, Peterfreund RA, Lee SL. The Patient With Endocrine Disease. In: Longnecker DE, Mackey SC, Newman MF, Sandberg WS, Zapol WM. eds. Anesthesiology, 3e New York, NY:
• McGrawHill;http://accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/content.aspx?bookid=2152§ionid=164217739. Accessed March 13, 2018.
• https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/23/11/50/public-healths-critical-role-in-health-reform-in-the-united-states
• http://www.diabetes.org/advocacy/news-events/cost-of-diabetes.html
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3341773/America-HIGHEST-rate-diabetes-developing-world-UK-Australia-Lithuania-nations-lowest-rates-condition.html
• https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-plausibility-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states-2155-9627-1000298.php?aid=87185
• http://federal-budget.insidegov.com/l/121/2018-Estimate#Spending&s=47xnQz
• https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/23/11/50/public-healths-critical-role-in-health-reform-in-the-united-states
• https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/united-states
• Bar Graph: https://www.vox.com/cards/health-prices/the-us-pays-four-times-as-much-as-new-zealand-for-the-exact-same
•
Health Care: A United States Crisis
Health Care is the prevention or treatment of illness doctors or health professionals who have studied and dedicated their lives to helping people. It should be an inalienable right to be treated for sickness or prevention without having to worry about receiving exorbitant hospital bills that will make a person decide between treatment or food.
The cost of healthcare is a question that the government and its citizens have debated perennially. InsideGov statistics reveal that, “The United States spends almost 1 trillion dollars per year on health care. However, almost 50 percent of that budget is spent on only 5 percent of the population”. This makes citizens wonder, how are their tax dollars spent so frivolously in such a manner? Keep in mind that this government also needs to spend money on education, infrastructure, defense, social security, and many more. Despite this the government must spend more money on health care or come up with a budget that allocates spending without waste. The middle and lower class have many financial obligations and are heavily burdened by the cost of health insurance. Therefore, the government must provide health care for the following reasons. without having a good insurance provider
One major reason as to why there should be universal healthcare in the United States are the high cost of treatments and surgeries. An example could be chronic diseases such as Diabetes and high/low blood pressure. These diseases are a worldwide occurrence. Of all the developed countries, the U.S. has the highest prevalence of diabetes. It is a grueling disease that has to be meticulously taken care of, if not the effects are grave. People with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus often rely on taking insulin several times a day. According to the American Diabetes Association, “People with diabetes who do not have health insurance have 79% fewer physician office visits and are prescribed 68% fewer medications than people with insurance coverage—but they also have 55% more emergency department visits than people who have insurance.” This means that only 21 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes get proper care. While the other 79 percent go to the hospital only if they are in dire pain and have to get treated. In essence, many people literally cannot afford to go hospitals for treatment.
Another reason as to why there should be universal healthcare in the United States is the cost of medication. Without good insurance, it is nearly impossible for the average American to afford medicine that is prescribed to them. Policies that are very relaxed towards pharmaceutical companies are detrimental to the public and in the long run will cost the government more money. Countries such as Canada for instance have a price ceiling on the cost of medication and are making amendments that would force pharmaceutical companies to reveal the true price that is charged to insurance companies. The U.S. should follow in these footsteps and contain prices but not too much where it will be difficult for everyone to get medication because of accessibility.
Lastly, the United States should provide health insurance to improve the overall standard of living. This will improve the mistrust between citizens and its government. The United States ranks as the17th best country for quality of life. As a country that leads the world stage with its economic prowress, it is disparaging to be so far down the list. On a scale of 1-10 the U.S. recieved a 0.8 for afordability and a 3.7 for a well developed public health system. Furthermore, by being able to not worry hospital/medical bills, Americans will have more money to spend on their education and small businesses around them. This will help the economy and society flourish. It will also help remove the stigma that hospitals are businesses more than places where you can receive medical attention.
The main agrument against universal healthcare in the U.S. is the cost to tax payers. Many Americans do not feel comfortable paying higher tax rates for a system that they feel they wouldn’t use much. Americans work ethic is unparrallled with other countries and the hard earned money of its citizens is hard to take away. Regarding to health however, people don’t feel like they need medical attention until they get ill. That is why it is imparative that the citizens get proactive and should commence working with their elected officals who can help bring fruitful changes. Currently the government spends enough on health care but it doesn’t allocate the money properly to where it would be streamlined and most effective. Rhetoric that the United States cannot afford Universal healthcare is rudementary and helpful to insurance/ pharmacutical companies who keep eluding real conversations and change.
The positives outmatch negative outcomes from having universal healthcare. It is inevitable that the United States as any country will have issues and quirks from implementing the progam in the beginning stages of its life. Nevertheless, it will all be worth it once the majority of citizens will be able receive healthcare without worrying wether they should pay their mortgage or go to the hospital. No one from a developed country should have to contemplate such a descion.
Bibliography
• Alexanian S, Peterfreund RA, Lee SL. The Patient With Endocrine Disease. In: Longnecker DE, Mackey SC, Newman MF, Sandberg WS, Zapol WM. eds. Anesthesiology, 3e New York, NY:
• McGrawHill;http://accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/content.aspx?bookid=2152§ionid=164217739. Accessed March 13, 2018.
• https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/23/11/50/public-healths-critical-role-in-health-reform-in-the-united-states
• http://www.diabetes.org/advocacy/news-events/cost-of-diabetes.html
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3341773/America-HIGHEST-rate-diabetes-developing-world-UK-Australia-Lithuania-nations-lowest-rates-condition.html
• https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-plausibility-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states-2155-9627-1000298.php?aid=87185
• http://federal-budget.insidegov.com/l/121/2018-Estimate#Spending&s=47xnQz
• https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/23/11/50/public-healths-critical-role-in-health-reform-in-the-united-states
• https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/united-states
• Bar Graph: https://www.vox.com/cards/health-prices/the-us-pays-four-times-as-much-as-new-zealand-for-the-exact-same
•