A Nation of Broken Hearts - The American Healthcare System.

In what many consider the wealthiest nation on earth, Americans face astronomical healthcare costs and inconsistent access to care—realities that seem unimaginable in 2024.

While many Americans think of healthcare as a safety net, it's one made of barbed wire, slowly bleeding us out. The U.S. spends more than any other country on healthcare; on average, $12,914 per person annually, and nearly 30 million people remain uninsured, according to the latest census data.

We all know that preventative care should be the goal of any nation's healthcare system. However, in the US, we are the masters of treating diseases instead of preventing them because treatment is where the money is. And according to KFF (https://www.kff.org/), government data estimates that people in the US owe at least $200 BILLION (Yes, with a 'B") in medical debt because of it.

The lack of universal health insurance for Americans leaves millions without access to preventative or essential care, even as the country’s healthcare system consumes nearly 18% of the national GDP. It's obscene. With healthcare costs doubling that of other high-income countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, Americans still rank far below other developed nations in critical health outcomes, including life expectancy and infant/maternal mortality rates.

This begs the question: why does the most expensive system deliver such uneven results? When 41% of adults report they can’t afford an unexpected medical bill of $500 or more, it's clear that something has to change. As Americans face rising costs and limited access, the state of healthcare has become a national emergency affecting not only the uninsured but also the insured, who face skyrocketing premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. It has to stop. Our lives depend on it.