In previous articles, I have painted a picture where we are living in a failed system. A system that failed us. Is it true? Absolutely, but is it the whole truth? No. The whole and unadulterated truth is uglier and harder to face. The truth is, we have failed one another as well as ourselves. We bear a degree of responsibility for how our system operates. We elect the officials who determine our policy. We pay for the research and development of drugs we’ll never be able to afford. The argument can be made that we have no other option. Our decision was taken from us by past generations. While the argument has some validity, it does nothing to solve our crisis. Our forefathers’ decisions may have led to where we are now, but our decisions are what keep us on the path. The decisions that keep us in line with the status quo. This article will present an alternative. We will never have another option, unless we create it for ourselves.
Sometimes, there are things you have to do yourself. Healthcare has become one of them. Per capita, the United States spends $4,000 more on healthcare than other comparable countries. The standard of care is largely the same. In the previous article of the series, we saw a large portion of our money go to the administrative network entangling medicine, insurance, and pharmaceuticals, and greed has only exasperated our problem. In order to solve it we have to change. Healthcare is expensive from the start. Overpriced medication and equipment lead to overpriced hospital bills, which lead to overpriced insurance. We run our healthcare like a business because that’s what it is. We see it as a luxury rather than a necessity.
On average in the United States pharmaceutical companies average an 18% profit per year. In the European Union companies make a 7% profit per year. If we saw healthcare as a necessity, as a human right, then we would have to be willing to give a little for the greater good. Let’s say we adopted a system I like to call Community Healthcare. In this system hospitals, pharmaceuticals companies, and insurance companies would be run as non profit organizations and focus on patient care. Doctors would have to be willing to take salary cuts, manufacturers would have to settle for smaller profits, and patients would have to be willing to pay more than the person next to them. We all have different income levels. Some of us can pay higher insurance premiums than others. Everyone would have to contribute, but the level of care would not be based on the amount of the contribution.
So how could a system like this function practically? We would need clinics, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and manufacturers to create our own system.You would pay a set amount per year, and when you inevitably have to see a doctor, you go see one in our new “network” and walk out without paying a cent. It sounds like a fairy tale, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work. In 2017 the median salary for an American was roughly $55,000. Half made more and half made less. If we follow the bell curve and break it into standard deviations, we could work out how much each person would have to pay to cover the total cost. Each standard deviation would have a seperate percentage of their total income to pay. If the family was to the left of the median, they would pay a smaller percentage. If the family was to the right, they would pay a larger percentage.
I know how people will react to this idea. To be honest, I had a hard time writing it. It challenges the capitalist underpinnings of our society. However, I had to think about how many times I’ve said I wish we had socialized medicine. I thought about how many times I’ve said I would pay more for a better system. If community sounds too much like communism for you, then feel free not to participate. However, if you’ve had the same thoughts about how our system should work, if you believe people should come before profit, then question this idea. What I’ve proposed is far from an actual solution, but hopefully it will lead to a discussion. We must stop looking for someone else to save us. We can’t wait for a corrupt system to help us anymore. Whether you agree or disagree with this article, you have a moral imperative to question it because your questions could very well lead to the answers we need.
- Duda, K., RN, & Jelic, S., MD. (2018, February 21). The Differences Between Motrin, Aleve, Tylenol, and Aspirin. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-difference-between-motrin-and-advil-770459
- Luhby, T. (2018, March 16). Americans spend nearly twice as much on health care, but have shorter lives. Retrieved from https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/15/news/economy/health-care-spending/index.html
- Martin, E. (2017, August 24). Here’s how much the average American earns at every age. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/24/how-much-americans-earn-at-every-age.html
- World Population Review. (2018, September 17). United States Population 2018. Retrieved from http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/united-states-population/