There’s something incredibly wrong with the US’s healthcare coverage. Unlike other developed countries, America doesn’t have a form of universal healthcare. The government won’t pay your bills in the event of a health scare.
Most of the time, people have their jobs to thank for when healthcare is concerned; other times, people pay for expensive private insurance premiums. It’s gotten to the point that healthcare costs have become the top reason for bankruptcy in the country.
Here are some meaningful ways healthcare can be improved for everyone.
Make healthcare costs more reasonable
As mentioned earlier, most Americans file bankruptcy because of healthcare costs. Medical bills cover 62% of bankruptcies in 2007 according to the American Journal of Medicine. A huge chunk (80%) of these are actually from those with health insurance. And with the government repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2017—which somehow stabilized and lowered healthcare costs—medical care is getting even more expensive.
A huge chunk of the population are at risk because they lack any form of health insurance coverage. In 2018, according to the US Census Bureau, about 27.5 million Americans don’t have any form of health insurance, either due to its steep price or because their job doesn’t give them any coverage whatsoever.
Minimizing the healthcare costs to a more reasonable amount should be a priority for the government, hospitals, and insurance companies. Same goes for making health insurance more accessible.
Proper health education for all
Educating people about maintaining proper health lessens the need to go to hospital trips. While some people have an unavoidable cause for concern, such as inherent medical conditions, healthier Americans should continue to maintain their healthiness through proper exercise and nutrition. Vaccinations also help keep communities healthy through herd immunity. With proper health education, Americans are at less likely to catch flu or any kind of disease.
Improving healthcare technology
Medical science has advanced and progressed since the last few years. Only recently, one painful procedure can now be done with less discomfort; the FDA has recently approved a new way of inserting tubes into the ears for treating ear infections. Caregivers and other nurses that provide home care can be supported by SwyftOpsto schedule their clients. There are more less-to-minimally invasive procedures for certain health conditions. Continually improving healthcare technology can lessen the burden on patients, doctors, and other care providers.
Utilizing big data
Sometimes, looking at data on a macro scale can reveal patterns you can use to your advantage. Big data can also affect healthcare. From hospital staffing scheduling to providing useful data on the fly, big data can help health practitioners give patients the utmost care that they need as fast as possible. It can also help further medical research, which can help improve the current treatment strategies doctors can provide.
Better mental health services
Some people have health insurance coverage that doesn’t cover mental health; others don’t even know that mental health can be covered by insurance. Mental health treatments are currently imprecise, as some people can be afflicted with more than one condition. There’s also a patient’s tolerance to the medicines provided by the therapists and doctors. Improving the country’s mental health services is another good step to improving healthcare for all.
The current state of healthcare in America is imperfect. However, changing the system for the better might pave the way to provide proper and timely care for every patient.
