The recent murder in Manhattan of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has brought America’s health care crisis back into sharp focus.
While the act is unambiguously condemned, the public’s response has revealed a deep frustration with a system that many feel prioritizes profit over patients.
Americans are showing their dissatisfaction and distrust due to the rising costs, systemic injustices, and widespread dissatisfaction.
Why is healthcare so expensive?
The United States spends more on healthcare than any other nation in the world. However, results are often less than those of nations with universal healthcare systems.
In 2024, the average annual premium for family health insurance will be $25,572 — a 6% increase over the previous year. Single workers will pay an average of $8 951.
Many households are now financially squeezed as these increases have consistently outpaced inflation.
According to the Commonwealth Fund 45% of insured adults of working age reported being charged for services that they believed should have covered and 17% were denied doctor-recommended treatment.
Cost burdens go beyond premiums. Costs for prescription drugs, hospitalizations, and specialist consultations are often exorbitant.
According to a recent testimonies, a patient had to decide between paying for her cancer treatments and keeping her home.
The citizens are now outraged at the fact that they must make such sacrifices to receive their healthcare.
A system designed to frustrate
The American healthcare system is notoriously complex. Insurance companies have complex approval processes that are difficult to understand even by healthcare professionals.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly used by insurers to automate the review of claims. Critics say this practice is more focused on maximising denials than on ensuring patient safety.
A recent lawsuit filed against United Healthcare a few months prior to the murder of its CEO alleged that its AI algorithm was deliberately programmed not to approve claims for elderly patients who needed extended care.
Both doctors and patients are battling these bureaucratic obstacles. Some claim to spend more time arguing than treating patients with insurance companies.
Lack of transparency is a major problem.
The federal regulations requires insurers to disclose the claim denial rate, but data is rarely audited or complete.
Patients are unaware that they are being denied higher-quality care, but lack the information necessary to hold insurers responsible.
Inequalities that cannot be ignored
The American healthcare system affects vulnerable groups disproportionately. Minorities, low-income families and rural communities face greater barriers to healthcare.
KFF research shows that Black and Hispanic adult patients are more likely than other adults to delay or skip care due to the cost, while rural communities increasingly suffer from medical deserts where access to healthcare is severely restricted.
The structural racism that exists could make things worse.
Even after controlling for income and educational level, the maternal mortality rate for Black women is significantly higher than that of white women.
In the same way, food insecurity, environmental factors and other factors affect marginalized groups disproportionately, resulting in poorer health outcomes.
A profit-driven system
The US healthcare system is based on a profit-driven model, which creates incentives that are not aligned.
UnitedHealth, the fourth largest company in the US based on revenue, is a great example of this dynamic.
The company has significant control over patient costs and access because it not only manages health insurance, but also pharmacy benefits management and medical services.
Critics claim that vertical integration is a form of corporate consolidation that prioritizes shareholder profits over patient care.
The numbers speak for them selves.
UnitedHealth Group reported net income of $22.3billion in 2023. This is almost double the net income it had before the pandemic, which was $13.8billion.
The record profits of the insurance industry are in stark contrast with the struggles of ordinary Americans.
The compensation packages of healthcare executives regularly reach tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. This angers the public.
This profit-driven approach has created a medical system where, despite the abundance of medical breakthroughs, they remain inaccessible for all but those with the most money.
Reform is possible.
The public’s frustration with healthcare reminds us of the anger that was expressed by the populists during the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011.
Today, healthcare is a personal issue that affects everyone.
Recent polling has shown that 62% of Americans think healthcare coverage should be the responsibility of the government. However, political gridlock and lobbying by industry have slowed down meaningful reform.
Source: Gallup
The legislation proposed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Josh Hawley and others to break up conglomerates in the healthcare industry represents a rare bipartisan attempt to address these systemic issues.
History suggests that powerful special interest groups will resist change. While the Affordable Care Act was a positive step, it left many fundamental issues unresolved, such as affordability and accessibility.
What is the next step?
Fixing the American Healthcare System requires more than small tweaks. Policymakers must address the underlying motivations that prioritize profits over patient outcome.
Priority should be given to transparency in insurance claim processing, regulation of AI-driven denies, and expanded access through universal healthcare models or value-based care models.
Direct-care practices, which bypass insurers, can be seen as viable alternative.
These models could provide affordable and patient-centered care, and eliminate the administrative burdens associated with traditional insurance.
Scaling up such approaches could reduce costs while improving outcomes.
Comparing international comparisons can also be a valuable tool.
Canada and Germany are examples of countries that have demonstrated that universal healthcare can provide better outcomes at lower cost.
These systems show that, despite the unique challenges faced by the US, profit should not dictate quality of care.
Final Words
The murder of Brian Thompson was a tragic incident, but it reminded Americans of the flaws that exist in their healthcare system.
Millions of Americans are being let down by rising costs, opaque processes and inequities, as well as profit-driven priorities.
The public’s anger has not been misplaced. It is a sign of a system which has lost its focus.
It is now up to us whether this moment will lead to meaningful reform, or fade into the past as another missed chance.
Instead of politicizing the incident, and increasing internal conflict in the United States, Americans should address the larger fundamental issue.
The financial and human costs will continue to rise, escalating the crisis and eroding the public’s trust.
This post The truth about America’s healthcare system could be updated as new information becomes available.
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