(DailyEmailNews.com) – In an alarming turn of events, the United States health system came in last place among ten wealthy countries in a recent study by the Commonwealth Fund.
Although Americans shell out nearly twice as much on healthcare compared to other nations, the system scores poorly on health equity, access to care and health outcomes.
Commonwealth Fund President Dr. Joseph Betancourt shared his daily encounters with the system’s failings.
He noted, “I see patients who cannot afford their medications…I see older patients arrive sicker than they should because they spent the majority of their lives uninsured.”
He also emphasized the urgent need for reform, saying, “It’s time we finally build a health system that delivers quality affordable healthcare for all Americans.”
While healthcare costs are a significant burden for many, current political discourse overshadows major healthcare reform discussions by focusing more on the economy and inflation.
In this sense, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has hinted at “concepts of a plan” to overhaul healthcare but has not revealed any specifics.
Voters place healthcare costs—including the price of drugs, doctor visits, and insurance—as their top concern.
This sentiment crosses party lines with 42% of Democrats and 45% of Republicans identifying it as their main issue.
Each year, Americans spend a staggering $4.5 trillion on healthcare, which breaks down to over $13,000 per person.
The Commonwealth Fund’s 20th “Mirror, Mirror” series clearly shows the shortcomings of the U.S. health system compared to other wealthy democracies like Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the U.K., Sweden and Switzerland.
This year’s report paints a grim picture of the U.S. system, branding it a failure across various dimensions, except in the “care process” category.
Proposed reforms to improve the U.S. standing include expanding insurance coverage, simplifying insurance options, boosting primary care and addressing broader social inequalities directly instead of letting them strain the health system.
The fund’s former president Dr. David Blumenthal toned down expectations for quick reform: “I don’t expect we will in one fell swoop rewrite the social contract.”
“The American electorate makes choices about which direction to move in, and that is very much an issue in this election,” he argued.
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