Health Care Reform

The great Debate: Universal Health Care

There have been numerous debates over whether or not the United States should adopt a Universal Health Care system like some of its counterparts, such as Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Many believe that the U.S. is behind in terms of the types of health care that are offered to the public, the outrage being both domestic and international with many citizens of the UK joking about how Americans have to pay ride in an ambulance, something those with Universal Health Care do not have to do. But what exactly are the implications of Universal Health Care, and if it works so well for other countries, why has the United States not yet adopted a similar system of their own?

 

First, it is important to understand the United States’ current health care system, as there is no single nationwide system. Americans are left to purchase health insurance from either private companies or government-provided health care, only offered to certain impoverished groups. 84% of Americans have health insurance, with 61% of this health insurance provided via employers. If most Americans have some form of health care, why is there a push for the implementation of Universal Health Care? To answer this, Harvard scholar blames the high cost and uneven access. Particularly the high cost but low quality, the US regularly scores poorly on many health measures such as life expectancy and preventable hospital admissions. Also, since more than half of Americans receive health insurance through their employers, they are one layoff away from losing access to health care. In addition to this, because some insurance companies do not provide full coverage, some insured Americans spend more money paying for their healthcare on medications and life-changing surgeries. The two public health care systems, Medicaid and Medicare, provided to the elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged, do not cover all health care expenses. For Medicaid, some states provide more benefits than others, making the service’s benefits inequal. Making Health Care universal has been proposed as a possible solution to this problem, but there are Pros and Cons to the system with everything.

Supporters of the implementation of Universal health care cite numerous pros why the US should adopt the system. These pros include: adopting a single-payer health care system would lower the total cost of spending on health care by $1.8 trillion, it would save more lives (about 44,789 people die per year due to a lack of health insurance), the right to health care as per the United Nations Universal is a human right, and that the system could make medical services affordable to everyone. These are supported by analysis of other countries that offer Universal Health Care; for example, both the UK and Canada spent about 42% of what the US did in healthcare in 2017. It is most important to note that the United States is the only nation apart of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED) that does not currently offer Universal health care, making the nation behind about 130 other countries. For a nation that boasts itself as one of the most progressive, many of the arguments for universal health care call out the hypocrisy of the nation’s inhibition to follow suit of other nations and adopt the same system.

On the other hand, critics of the system say that while it works well for other industrialized nations, it is important to note that these other nations are not as populated and diverse as the US. Therefore the adoption of universal health care would not be feasible here. Moreover, listed cons for this implementation include research from George Mason University that predicts that universal health care would increase federal spending by $32.6 trillion in the first ten years of its practice. This system would also push the U.S. to a more socialist government, which numerous Americans would agree is not an ideal practice. The biggest con that critics argue is the main reason that the U.S. should not offer a single-payer health care system? It would significantly raise taxes, as the UK’s payroll taxes currently average about 37%, compared to the U.S. 15.3%. Most critics’ strongest arguments boil down to one thing: finances.

Overall, the hot button issue that is Universal Health does not seem to be reaching a point of compromise or resolution soon. With strong points on each side of the spectrum, it is hard to say whether the U.S. will ever follow suit of other nations and make health care accessible to all on the federal level. Perhaps there is another way to ensure that this human right is upheld for everyone equally.

 

Sources: Comparisons of Health Care Systems in the United States, Germany, and Canada

Is our healthcare system broken?

Should All Americans Have the Right (Be Entitled) to Health Care? 

 

Why is pregnancy a death sentence for Black Women?

A women’s pregnancy can be one of the most rewarding times of her life. Whether planned or not, women should have the agency to carry their children to full term without issues. However, why is it that Black Women are three times more likely to die in pregnancy and five times more likely to die postpartum? A study was conducted by researchers at the Maryland Population Research Center (MPRC) who reexamined death certificates from 2016 to 2017 provided this new rate, a significant increase from previous studies that showed a death rate for black women 2.5 times that of white women. So what is causing this large disparity between the two racial groups?

Researchers found that the alarming death rate for black women is most commonly concentrated among various causes of death. This is consistent with other analyses that supported the previously mentioned causes affecting all racial and ethnic groups. Most likely, postpartum cardiomyopathy (a form of heart failure), blood pressure disorders, hemorrhage (severe bleeding), or blood vessel blockage, which affect black women and other racial groups at a higher rate than white women. Suppose any of these conditions are left undiagnosed, or untreated (or even treated but not up to standard, it leads to death during or after pregnancy. Doctors note that many of these deaths are preventable and take ownership for the lack of vigilance leads to late diagnosis and inadequate treatment.

Unfortunately, it is important to recognize that numerous racial and ethnic boundaries affect these rates and contribute to black women’s high mortality rate. 75% of black women give birth in hospitals meant to serve predominately black populations; these hospitals are often underfunded and have high rates of complications during childbirth, including performing worse than predominately white serving hospitals on 12 out of 15 birth outcomes. Black women have difficulty accessing adequate reproductive health care, especially essential for planning and expecting mothers. So not only are black women more likely to experience postpartum health complications, but there are racial blockages that inhibit access to better treatment for said conditions.

So what have researchers and doctors suggested be done to decrease the pregnancy death sentence amongst black women? Most have recognized that it takes structural, racial, and health reform. Firstly, government officials should expand good health care and maintain it for all individuals. 87% of black women have health insurance, which may seem “good enough” to most, but instead of settling for just the “good,” we should always strive for better. When the coverage gaps are covered, black families will receive good prenatal and maternity care which is critically important for a healthy, surviving pregnancy. Women who lack health care often go without that care or delay it until a later trimester. Lack of prenatal care is directly associated with higher rates of maternal mortality. In addition to receiving equal access to health coverage, doctors need to ensure that the health care provided can meet the specific needs of black women. Too frequent are black women discriminated against in hospitals or clinics. Some women report going to the doctors’ office for check-ups and citing pain and often being ignored. Their issues are being dismissed, leading to health implications, such as the hemorrhage in postpartum, down the road. To ensure the safety and protection of black women in the health care system, society must meet the socio-economic needs of black women.

It is important to address the systematic barriers that deter black women from receiving the adequate health assistance that they need. Nearly every system in America is plagued with discriminatory, socioeconomic, and racial barriers that affect minorities at a despairing rate. The system must be reformed and addressed at the root to improve these conditions. The first step is researching and addressing the rate. Especially since Health Care is outlined as a Human Right and therefore should be equally accessible to all, those who uphold that human right should also promise to the people that the Health Care in question ensures the people’s best interest and best care provided are being upheld. This post started with ensuring the agency of a safe pregnancy for all women, as it is their right to receive that access, hopefully as awareness improves and advocacy gets better and better. We can ensure safe birth and the postpartum period for all women.