The American Health Care Crisis

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how it is an irrefutable fact that the American medical care system is in the midst of an immense and complicated state of crisis and how this crisis is multifaceted, carrying with it not only financial, but ethical and political implications as well. It shows how the degrees to which Americans are affected by this crisis vary greatly and how the current widespread problem leaves virtually no American unscathed. It argues that, while America is said to lead the world in medical research and its ability to treat and cure some of the most complex and deadly illnesses, it lags behind every other industrialized nation in the world in guaranteeing all of its people access to the best that medical care has to offer.

From the Paper:

"Nearly 44 million Americans are without any form of health insurance. This is a figure that includes people of all ages, income levels, and ethnic backgrounds. Contrary to popular belief, "uninsured" does not necessarily connote "unemployed," as approximately 80% of the uninsured population is currently under part-time or full-time employment (Hayashi, 2004). Furthermore, Americans are losing their health care plans at an astoundingly rapid rate. In the year 2002 alone, approximately 2.4 million Americans lost their health care. This number signifies the largest increase in more than ten years (Washington Post, 2003-a). To make matters worse, health insurance premiums increased by an astonishing 13.9 percent between 2002 and 2003. This has been the highest observed increase in over a decade."

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