The American healthcare system has been a hot topic of discussion for many years. From civilians to politicians and news networks, everybody has an option on healthcare in America. While everyone is entitled to that option, it’s important that it’s based on accurate information. Many myths are spread about the numbers and realities of our healthcare system. That’s why we decided to bring you the truth about American healthcare in simple and easy to understand facts!
How the US Stacks Up
Regardless of where your beliefs fall on American healthcare, you can’t deny where we rank compared to other countries. A few important rankings to consider include:
- Life expectancy – despite advanced medical care, we only hold the 34th highest spot for life expectancy among men and women.
- Infant Mortality – our infant mortality rates are even worse than life expectancy. We fall 47th on a list of 195 countries!
- Overall rating – the world healthcare organization gives ratings to each countries healthcare system. We ranked 37th in the world on their list. Considering we have the highest number of medical cost per year, that’s concerning.
- Our per capita spending is 170% higher than average and 22% higher than the second most expensive country
Wasted Funds
It’s estimated that 750 billion dollars are wasted in the American healthcare system each year. That’s roughly 30%! 750 million dollars wasted is even more concerning when you learn that medical debt is the number one reason that American citizens have to file for bankruptcy. We remain the only wealthy and industrialized country in the world that doesn’t have a universal healthcare system. While many people still oppose the idea, it would surely lower the amount of debt that individuals face after receiving treatment. People without insurance are shown to be 40% more likely to die than those that do hold insurance. That leaves us wondering, is opposing universal healthcare really worth risking the lives of our friends and neighbors without insurance?
Types of Treatment
The high cost of American healthcare each year remains a mystery, but some of the questions are answered when you learn what types of treatment are the most common. Obesity, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and a slew of other preventable diseases take up 75% of the total cost of healthcare each year. That means that if America could get a handle on our obesity and lifestyle crisis, costs would drop naturally!
