The issue of health care has incessantly pounded the air waves recently. Many wonder how many people will be insured, how much will it cost, and how it will effect the general health of America. This is an issue that touches everyone living within the borders of the United States, and it is an issue that was in need of greater discussion far earlier. The United States is the only “developed” or “industrialized” nation that does not have any form of a universal health care system established. Our neighbors to the North established a system in 1999. In the South, the Mexican government had health care reforms in 2006 and 2009.
Here are some other interesting things you may not have known: The average cost of health care has more than doubled from 2000 to 2007. At the current rate of growth, in 2018, a family of four can expect to pay nearly $38,000 in health care costs per year. Half of a family’s income will be spent on health care.
Surely these rising prices are worth paying if it keeps us healthy, right? Well here are some more fun facts: The United States is ranked 45th in infant mortality rate. That’s worse than Cuba. In life expectancy, the United States is ranked 50th, lower than Bosnia and Herzegovina.
So who is to blame? The short answer: everyone. The system is in need of drastic change. Even the insurance companies know that. But I feel that much of the blame can be put squarely on our shoulders.
American society is built on the notion that bigger is better and the more you get, the better off you are. Greed has driven us to feel that in any situation the greater number of goods or services that someone receives is always better than less. Now, take that mentality and apply it to the medical industry. More examinations, more lab tests, more medicines, more this, more that: Good right? Not always.
Studies have shown that 1/3 of the medical procedures done in this country are unnecessary. 1/3! That equates to a horrible waste of time and money. That means more doctors are being occupied doing procedures that their patients do not need and are wasting exorbitant amounts of money that will ultimately not translate into a healthier patient. Why would a doctor do such a thing? Because they are forced into doing it.
Every person that goes to a doctor and is not happy with their visit screams malpractice. With the threat of lawsuits afoot, doctors are forced to put their patients through superfluous tests and procedures just to make sure that they cover all their bases. Failing to do this may result in a lawsuit. Ironically, the more procedures a doctor performs, the higher the chance of the doctor making a mistake. Often, a doctor is forced to perform a procedure that may cause complications and other unwanted side effects. Additionally, patients tend to think that going to the doctor and enduring numerous procedures and ingesting various drugs will fix all their problems. However, there is a lot more involved than that. A doctor cannot just give their patient a magic pill to make all their problems go away. Patients have to make a conscious effort to establish what their medical situation is and make lifestyle changes in order to correct that problem. Relying on prescribed drugs and reoccurring medical procedures will not help the situation in the long run. Nor will it help the problem that this country is facing as far as costs of health care.
As previously stated, this problem is far greater than just the patients’ responsibilities to themselves and to society as a whole. That being said, many problems could be reduced if we can put aside our American culture of more is better and realize that health care is something that should aid us in to moving towards leading a healthier lifestyle, not replace the responsibility that all of us have of caring for ourselves. By realizing that our health ultimately falls in our own hands rather than the doctors’ hands, we will take more responsibility for our actions, and we will not be hasty to take legal action against a doctor that was merely trying to help us.
Our health is OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Do research. Get second opinions. Eat better. Exercise frequently. Do not blame a doctor for your health problems when you honestly know that your poor health is based on poor decisions you made.
Just a side note: please do not email me with stories about negligent doctors screwing up someone’s life. That is not the situation I’m referring to. I am referring to the guy who is 5’ 8” and weighs 400 pounds and blames the doctor for his liver problems because the doctor had to prescribe medicine to keep him from having a heart attack.
- scathing social commentary provided by Ryan
***The information and statistics I used in this post was taken from the podcast “This American Life” episode 391 entitled “More is Less”. Please, please, please listen to it. It is extremely fascinating. It can be found on iTunes. But you have to download our podcast too!***
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