There is no secret that the United States has one of the most fragmented healthcare systems in the world. The U.S. healthcare system is not necessarily structured to help everyone but it functions by way of political decisions with the dollar being of higher value than health. Being a product of a low-income household as the child of a single Black mother, I am very aware of how government insurance plays a vital role in keeping Americans healthy who are unable to afford health coverage (Medicaid and NC Choice). Now becoming a fortunate adult with access to health coverage through my employer, I now understand how crucial yet expensive it is to have coverage. “America vs The World” film does an excellent job amplifying how malignant the structure of the healthcare system in the U.S. is in comparison to four other nations including Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The film highlights the greatness of technology and innovation. One would ask if our country can allocate the money to invest in advanced technology and innovation, why doesn’t the country allocate the money to provide affordable care to all citizens? Well, it is noted that it is difficult to preserve high-quality care for low pricing. The film provides several interviews with experts to provide context along with personal accounts of bad health due to the lack of healthcare in the U.S. There are a great number of resources to cover the American people but our social and political stance in this country has chosen not to value health and morally provide a good quality of life. Would providing a good quality of life to all citizens be such a bad idea? Possibly because there are other sectors that would be affected, however, it is possible to preserve the high quality of care and help those who go without coverage. The “America vs. the World” film puts into perspective how our nation spends the most on healthcare but has a relatively low life expectancy in comparison to nations that spend less on healthcare yet simultaneously provide a decent quality of life to their citizens. In general, the film gives examples of other systems that work and provide good healthcare to everyone, perhaps our nation can borrow some ideas.
Single-payer systems are addressed in the film along with the functionality and costs, specifically in the United Kingdom. We are introduced to a young child by the name of Liam, his life depends on the single-payer system. Taxes are paid to the government which supports the National Health Service (NHS). The government is ultimately the single-payer and pays for all aspects of healthcare including dural medical equipment (DME). The NHS spends much less than the US with higher life expectancy and greater health outcomes. The film provided incredible insight into the single-payer system using a minimal cost-benefit analysis if you will. I believe that this system could be a possible option for the U.S. if our social and political grounds could come to a consensus….. the value of life. There are many positives mentioned but we also were shown cons to the system. According to a U.K. citizen, the less life-threatening your disability, the less attention you receive. From a U.K. standpoint, I understand how this can make a citizen feel abandoned, but I am also aware that healthcare systems are not perfect for everyone. The cost-effective benefit is often analyzed within the NHS, which is a major benefit and shows that life is valued. The issue with single-payer systems in the U.S. is that in many congressional districts, hospitals are the single biggest employer. Price control would not work because there is so much money that goes to hospitals and provider’s.
In Switzerland, the healthcare system looks a little different than in the U.K. Though Swiss citizens may pay more for a basic level of care, everyone is covered. I’d like to know the dollar amount of what they pay and if its affected when salary increases. It seems that healthcare is valued much more in other nations and politics are less likely to interfere. Several (60) insurance companies offer coverage in Switzerland, and those citizens have the option to choose who to get their coverage from. The government still has a hand in setting prices for procedures and medications which makes this nation a highly privatized nation but not a single-payer. Better quality, better health outcomes, higher life expectancy, and coverage for everyone even if you don’t buy it. There are always pros and cons to a healthcare system and the film does a great job highlighting both. Citizens who do not need much care, still have to pay for coverage regardless of use which could be seen as unfair to that individual but as a whole, equal since everyone is covered regardless of their state of health.
Australia has an example of a hybrid healthcare system which is public and private. Medicare is paid for through taxes and is available to all citizens. I believe that this is a much more reasonable option for the U.S. About 50% of Australians have private insurance but public care is still accessible with the government’s mandating prices. I love that not everyone has to have private coverage and can opt for public coverage, but since private coverage alleviates pressure on public care, costs increase. All in all, Australia does have better health outcomes and a higher life expectancy than the U.S. but there are significant improvements are needed in this hybrid system as well. It is apparent that universal care has positive aspects to it but there are downfalls to all systems.
Canada is another country that has a universal healthcare system that has better health outcomes and higher quality of care. The ability to maintain the capacity of an epidemic is a significant benefit to a nation with a universal healthcare system. I thoroughly enjoy that the film highlights the downfalls of each system. In retrospect, there are options for the U.S. to improve our healthcare system but it will take a lot of work, common consensus, and reason before the healthcare system can begin to be altered. I would like to know how disparities affect healthcare in other nations and the resolutions to it. I agree with the film that social solidarity would need to b reached for healthcare to be accessible to all. Medicaid expansion has begun in several states in the U.S. We know that all healthcare systems have downfalls and need improvements, I believe our country just has to distinguish which is more significant.
Hi Eboni! I agree that America’s healthcare system is not set up to provide care for everyone, mostly due to the government’s political decisions and lack of value for our health. It’s unfortunate that our health insurance is quite expensive and is limited to the networks and providers we can see. Growing up, my mom was self-employed and struggled to find affordable health insurance, so at times we were uninsured. I remember she would “stock up” on our prescriptions by refilling them as soon as we could in case we lost our insurance again and had to pay really high prices for the medications. I would love to see healthcare reform in America so that everyone can receive quality care and not have to worry about the cost of going to the doctor or receiving essential medical treatment.
I like that Switzerland’s coverage is separate from employment, so job status does not determine your access to health insurance. It is also cool to see how Australia’s healthcare system is structured and has a combination of public and private insurance. I think it is very beneficial; everyone is covered, and people have the choice to pay more for private coverage but are not required to do so. The 50% of people who do choose to purchase private insurance are helping reduce the burden on the public sector. I would also like to see how disparities in other countries impact their health outcomes in comparison to America. The film did a great job comparing our healthcare system and insurance coverage to other counties, while also including the pros and cons of each. I am hopeful that a future change in politics and values can influence positive change in America’s healthcare system.
Hey Eboni. I agree with you when you talked about Australia’s healthcare system being a reasonable option for the US. When we look at our healthcare system we do look at the money spent and it’s the most in the world. The US population is more than 3 times larger than all the healthcare systems combined we saw in the documentary. When I did the math and saw that it made me think that we should have no problem gathering (taxing) money to help lower cost for coverage for all. But then we sit back and remember the US is in the business to have the most innovative medical technology in the world. I have yet to see the US business in the business to raise awareness and implement programs to battle unhealthy living habits in communities everywhere. Yes I do believe the US could finaicaly provide healthcare for all, but the political landscape in DC wouldn’t let that happen. How is it that we have so many more tax paying people in the US and we can’t figure out hybrid job based health coverage and quality free public health for everyone who needs it. The US poor health outcomes are not helped by the high sugar and fat contents in most peoples daily diets. But it does taste good, don’t get my wrong I love deep fried oreos from the state fair. I think if the US were go to a hybrid system we would have to address the cost being mandated by the private companies with the help of the government. I believe when there is competition, heavy innovation follows. Every system has flaws but I think it’s up to the elected people of power to start working for what is right for the American people, a financially better healthcare system.