Sick Around America, about America's health care system.

After watching the film Sick Around America,Links to an external site. describe your thoughts about America's health care system. Which of the stories presented do you relate to most? Explain why.

Full Answer Section

      The film also shows how the current system benefits the wealthy and powerful at the expense of everyone else. We meet insurance company executives who make millions of dollars in bonuses while denying coverage to sick people. We meet pharmaceutical company executives who raise the prices of life-saving drugs to unaffordable levels. And we meet politicians who are beholden to special interests and who are more interested in protecting the profits of insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies than in protecting the health of the American people. I relate most to the story of Mark Murray, a Microsoft employee whose wife had a premature birth. Mark and his wife had health insurance through Microsoft, but their insurance company refused to pay for the full cost of their daughter's medical bills. Mark and his wife were forced to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for their daughter's care. I can relate to Mark's story because I have also experienced the financial hardship of paying for medical bills. When I was in college, I got sick and had to go to the hospital. I had health insurance through my school, but my insurance company only covered a portion of my medical bills. I had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket, which was a huge financial burden for me as a student. I believe that Mark's story is representative of the many Americans who are struggling to afford healthcare. The current system is simply not working for ordinary people. We need a healthcare system that is affordable, accessible, and equitable. Here are some specific things that we can do to improve America's healthcare system:
  • Create a single-payer healthcare system: A single-payer healthcare system is a system in which the government is the sole payer for healthcare services. This would eliminate the need for private health insurance and would ensure that everyone has access to healthcare, regardless of their income or employment status.
  • Negotiate drug prices: The government should negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. This would help to lower the cost of prescription drugs, which is a major financial burden for many Americans.
  • Increase funding for preventive care: The government should increase funding for preventive care, such as screenings and vaccinations. This would help to prevent diseases and save money on healthcare costs in the long run.
  • Expand access to Medicaid: Medicaid is a government health insurance program for low-income Americans. The government should expand access to Medicaid so that more people have access to affordable healthcare.
I believe that these reforms are necessary to create a healthcare system that is fair and affordable for everyone.  

Sample Answer

   

After watching the film Sick Around America, I am deeply concerned about the state of America's healthcare system. The film does an excellent job of highlighting the many challenges that Americans face when accessing affordable and quality healthcare.

One of the most striking things about the film is the way it shows how the current system is stacked against ordinary people. We meet people who have lost their jobs and their health insurance, people who are forced to make impossible choices between paying for medical bills and paying for rent and food, and people who are denied coverage by insurance companies for arbitrary reasons.