Watching PBS’s Health Care: America vs. the World was a fascinating and a quick look into what other countries are doing to manage the growing need for well-rounded services. I am inspired by our neighbor’s agility in creating and implementing solutions. Those places include Canada, UK, and Switzerland all of which have different systems and options for their citizens.
I would have liked to see what the financial differences on a single person level instead of hearing about how the health care system makes us feel. We all know the feeling a little too well at this point. I value the stories and they certainly do drive me, but it skimped over the biggest issue of all and that is money. Our country pays 3.8 trillion (a 5th of our economy) to support health care and is two times as much as other comparable nations. I feel the documentary could have given more financial examples since the main driver is the financial burden to an individual, family, and our country.
To be called the most expensive but least effective health care system in the world is a harsh reality. Is the problem in the United States the amount of money is cost or the amount of money we are willing charging each other for basic care, pharmaceuticals, and post care. In the documentary, it was stated that our health care system was a choice and a reflection of our country not recognizing the undervalued and that we have become okay with it. Those people make up 30 million people or 12% of people under 65% who have no health insurance. Of course, we want to fix this problem not only for them but for the whole country because it is no longer acceptable to leave people behind.
My biggest question is how the U.S. can integrate some of these practices into the U.S. Health system. We are dealing with a huge land mass with many different circumstances that guide people’s lives but how do we make changes and even the playing field? Regarding If we were to adopt a universal health care or a single payer system in the U.S. Tsung-Mei Cheng states, that the government sets prices and that will not work for the U.S. because of the power dynamic, and it is politically infeasible. What I understand is that there would be too much unbalanced power if we switched to Medicare-for-all system. I am curious what the rest of the class feels about this.
It is bad enough that without a job you typically do not have coverage, but it makes me wonder what life would be like if your health insurance and employment was not tied together like our neighbors in Switzerland. They are all required to have coverage but have a choice which can be costly and for some families make up 16% of their income. The journey to what they have now was developed in the 1980’s and is what the Affordable Care Act was mirrored off. Their crucial innovation was separating jobs and health insurance. They then let private insurance companies lead the options and not the government like the U.K. I can see how this system is really benefiting them and I wonder if something like this would be well liked in the United States.
Overall, PBS did a respectable job, and I learned a tremendous amount. I would like to learn more about the other countries health plans and learn about the financials that are looming over the U.S.