The United States spent almost a total of 3.2 trillion dollars on healthcare in 2015, that number is only going up (Maranjian). Furthermore, the shortage of primary care physicians in the coming years is estimated to be around 7,300 and 43,100 professionals (Maranjian). The most frightening statistic is that “as of early 2017, there were 26 million uninsured Americans” (Maranjian). In light of the current state of US medical care, “reforming health care” has become an overused buzzword that politicians repeat in campaign speeches and the average citizen debates about at their dinner table. Specifically, the US Healthcare system should be reformed in terms of financial burden, economic responsibilities, and communication methods.
With the rising insurance premiums,
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For starters, according to a recent report, the number of Americans “without healthcare insurance rose by 3.2 million people between 2016 and 2017” (Abutaleb). Uninsurance affects the access of individuals to healthcare facilities and ultimately determines their quality of life. For example, in terms of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes, uninsured individuals are less likely to seek suggested treatment by a health professional and more likely to be hospitalized for failing to obtain treatment. However, most importantly, lack of coverage means these individuals are increasingly faced with overwhelming hospital bills that they cannot pay. “Those without insurance for an entire year pay for ⅕ of their care out-of-pocket. In addition, hospitals frequently charge uninsured patients much higher rates than those paid by private health insurers and public programs” (“Key Facts..”). Nevertheless, in order to combat this problem, one must look at the primary causes most cite