Good Example Of Health Care In America Essay

Over the past two decades, health care costs have risen at twice the rate of inflation. This has made quality health care just out of reach for millions of poor Americans, many of whom defer health care treatment due to its high cost. Those that do seek care frequently risk going into debt, sometimes to the tune of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Hospitals are not always up front about costs, so some patients do not have any idea how much they will end up paying until long after they have received treatment. For example, in the 2009 PBS documentary Sick Around America, one expecting couple was shocked to find out that the birth and subsequent hospitalization of their prematurely-born son would cost over a million dollars. The couple was lucky in that the husband’s employer, Microsoft, would be willing to foot the bill. Unfortunately, most Americans do not work for a company that can incur such extravagant costs on behalf of their employees.
Americans who cannot afford complete health insurance packages can suffer immensely in this system. For example, one patient interviewed in the documentary, Paul Stevens, had to wait for Medicare coverage after treatment for a heart-attack left him with a $200,000 bill. The stress of having to pay such a high hospital bill, and the uncertainty of having to wait on state-mandated health insurance benefits, took a huge toll on his health. This current system of healthcare delivery demonstrates that our national values prioritize profits over people. Thanks to unchecked American capitalism, hundreds of people are forced to declare bankruptcy and default on medical bills each year, while insurance companies give million dollar bonuses to their CEOs. The system is in serious need of reform.