Healthcare costs are rising in many countries. Yet the current market for healthcare doesn’t necessarily deliver. Nearly 20 percent of GDP is spent on healthcare- which is more than twice the average of other developed countries. Many of the developed countries today offer some form of socialized healthcare. With the exception of Medicaid in the U.S. most people pay directly out of pocket for their healthcare, compared to countries that pay for their healthcare via taxes.
Former President, Barak Obama and his administration attempted to “fix” the problems with our healthcare system by creating the Affordable Care Act. The goal was to offer more Americans “affordable” healthcare. The result: even more expensive healthcare for most people. Premiums have increased, along with deductibles and co-pays. In fact, most plans require users to satisfy a deductible of at least $10,000 before insurance will pay for services. Which begs the question why pay a monthly premium at all?
Several months ago, my husband and I were looking on the Healthcare.gov website to research insurance options in our area. The cheapest option that we found was a health plan that cost $520/month with a deductible of $10,000. Thankfully, we were able to find another plan that was much more affordable.
President Donald Trump, and many Republicans had a goal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The truth is, once a government program is established, it is incredibly hard to remove it. Perhaps moving forward, patients must take an
active role in their healthcare and demand a more patient-centered system.
