The Problem With Medical Equity In The United States - Dominik M.

The Problem With Medical Equity In The United States

Dominik Migula November 5, 2020   

Health care has always been a popular topic in the United States in politics, as well as, in everyday life.  Health is a fundamental part of everyone’s life because anything could happen, and you need access to help whenever you find yourself in that tricky situation.  If you went around the world and asked citizens of different countries if they had access to healthcare, most would tell you that they indeed do have access.  However, most answers will mention the little to no cost, whereas, in the United States, the average citizen would give you a different answer. 

(Wikimedia) - Countries with Universal Healthcare (green)

The United States is the most developed country in the world, yet the government doesn’t provide affordable healthcare.  It’s an outlier among the other first-world countries in the world, who despite being rich, still have affordable healthcare.  Sure, the U.S. might provide very top-of-the-line healthcare, but there still should be some alternatives for those who cannot afford the expensive medical bills or insurance to cover them.

Why Would This Be a Good Change?

Providing aid to people of color would allow them to spend less time worrying about whether they can afford medical bills.  Receiving this kind of breather would give people a chance to have a more stable living.  Once these people are helped on their feet, they won’t have to rely on government assistance because they can afford everything by themselves.  In this rich, free country of ours, everyone should have a stable living.

 

The above linked article from The Atlantic  states that "The overall level of health spending in the United States is so high that public (i.e. government) spending on health per capita is still greater than in all other OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] countries….  Just by reading this article should get one thinking about how expensive that sounds.  Comparing this information to how many Americans can actually afford healthcare proves that healthcare is simply too expensive.  According to an article from The Guardian, “A study conducted by the American Cancer Society in May 2019 found 56% of adults in America report having at least one medical financial hardship, and researchers warned the problem is likely to worsen unless action is taken.” 

 

(Graph - Kaiser Family Foundation)

MORE THAN HALF of all adults in America is 74.3% of all Americans, meaning that over a quarter of all Americans have had some sort of issue paying for medical aid.  America Magazine published an article stating, “The United States spends almost one-fifth of its gross domestic product on health care, the most in the world, and yet its residents have a lower life expectancy, 78.6 years, and a higher chronic disease burden, 28 percent, than those of any other Western democracy.” These percentages shouldn’t be this low, especially if America is spending so much on healthcare, yet their citizens aren’t living as long as other countries who pay way less for the same thing.

How Has COVID-19 Affected People of Color

If the data on how many people can’t afford healthcare shocked you, brace yourself because this will be even more shocking.  According to Mayo Clinic, research shows that, “racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States,” which is truly disappointing when looking at this morally.  The fact that 

(Graph - New York City of Health and Mental Hygiene)

someone who is of American Indian, Black, Hispanic or Latino descent, makes up the majority of those who caught Coronavirus just isn’t fair at all.  Data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that, “Non-Hispanic American Indians had an age-adjusted COVID-19 hospitalization rate about 5.3 times that of non-Hispanic white people.” Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic or Latino have also been infected with a hospitalization rate at, “about 4.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic white people.” This data is very interesting because it makes one think why people of color have such a higher chance of testing positive for COVID-19.

Why Is This Important To Clarify?

Many people of color have been discriminated against in the past, putting them in a worse position before the coronavirus even spread to the United States.  CDC has confirmed that there is, “no evidence that people of color have genetic or biological factors that make them more likely to be affected by COVID-19.”  It has also been shown that people living in lower-income households are at higher risk of infection from Coronavirus.  

 (Graph - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The CDC has provided a great deal of data , which evidently shows that, “more than one in three (35%) non-elderly adults with household incomes below $15,000 are at higher risk,” compared to, “about one in seven (16%) adults with household incomes greater than $50,000.” A very important detail to remember about our current situation is that viruses spread quickly, meaning that those who live closely together will have a tougher time social distancing, especially in low-income neighborhoods.  It is truly awful that people of color are more affected, but as CDC states, “racial and ethnic minority members might be more likely to live in multi-generational homes, crowded conditions and densely populated areas, such as New York City,” making social distancing that much more difficult.

The Bottom Line

There are many different ways that the less fortunate could be helped, but it all comes down to whether it would be within budget or if the government even agrees to come up with a quick solution.  This is one article telling you about the data and how it reflects the country as a whole, so don’t get your hopes up about any solution coming soon.  All we can do is provide enough information to convince people that a change needs to happen now, but there is no guarantee that anything will happen.