First and foremost, happy new year! We hope you’re enjoying the new year and are staying safe and sound amidst the rise in COVID cases – many of these are being driven up by the Omicron variant.
Actually, as kind of a sidebar before we continue with this post – there is a now apparently a new variant found in France (it was actually found around the same time as Omicron)… but it’s just as contagious (supposedly). Experts don’t know whether or not it’s more fatal since it is a newer variant. Whatever the case, please be careful and get vaccinated if you can. We are all tired of this, so let’s just do whatever we can do come together and make this thing less deadly. K, thanks.
Onward we go with this blog post!
Today’s actual content
Since the holidays had just passed, many of us went home to see family (some didn’t feel comfortable enough to do that and that’s okay too). Part of our process for those who did travel included getting tested for the presence of COVID. Luckily, none of us at MeddleAmerica tested positive for COVID – but, this got us thinking as to what the hell “normal” is anymore.
America’s New Normal
There was a scarcity in tests; community centers saw long lines; some didn’t even have people to answer the phones to make the appointments. The at-home tests are fine, but the verdict is still out on whether or not they’re even reliable – and in any case, getting an at-home test required that you called in to an institution to even do the test. If you didn’t call in, the test was invalid. You can’t even order a new one without sending the invalid one back. It’s a whole mess. Luckily, at home tests will become more widely available soon thanks to Mara Liasson for asking the tough questions and actually holding public officials accountable.
Anyway, is America doomed to have this be the new normal? Variant after variant and the pandemic just never ends? We’ll see about that — but honestly, this begs the question… what the hell happened? How did we even get to this point? What was the “normal” in America that led to the “normal” that is now?
Defining America’s “Normal” As It Has Been
If we’re being honest and not living a revisionist history, America’s “normal” consisted of crippling medical debt. Unlike other first world countries, America does not have health care for its citizens. Check out the video below for some reactions non-Americans had when given an estimate for standard costs here in the US. (It may make you laugh-cry.)
Consequences
Unfortunately, this current system leads to stories like these:
Coronavirus patients face significant direct costs: the money pulled out of savings and retirement accounts to pay doctors and hospitals. Many are also struggling with indirect costs, like the hours spent calling providers and insurers to sort out what is actually owed, and the mental strain of worrying about how to pay.
Author articled by Sarah Kliff
Flor, 70, who came so close to death in the spring that a night-shift nurse held a phone to his ear while his wife and kids said their final goodbyes, is recovering nicely these days at his home in West Seattle. But he says his heart almost failed a second time when he got the bill from his health care odyssey the other day.
Author articled by Danny Westneat
Casey Gray, a 29-year-old, is a perfect example. He was hospitalized with COVID-19 for 75 days in Florida, half of which he spent in a coma. As he slowly recovered – and in anticipation of huge medical bills – Casey, a youth minister, and his wife Savannah, a teacher, sold one of their cars to prepare for the debt.
Article authored by Keri Enriquez
In fact, most people are fearful about needing health intervention:
In general, approximately 50% of Americans now carry medical debt. The percentage of adults in America who were concerned or extremely concerned generally went up from 2019 to 2020 in almost all polled age groups.
Having insurance isn’t conducive to getting care
Even with insurance, a majority of people still need to pay for additional costs of health care.
Premiums, Deductibles, and Co-pays – oh my!
In addition to paying the premiums to even have access to insurance, people need to pay for the deductibles and co-pays. An additional layer to think about is whether an institution providing the care is even in-network. This factor can also influence what the end bill looks like. Here are some statistics to keep in mind:
- According to eHealth’s recent study of ACA plans, in 2020 the national average health insurance premium for an ACA plan is $456 for an individual and $1,152 for a family. (This average cost does not include people who receive government subsidies.)
- The annual change in premiums is similar to the year-to-year rise in workers’ earnings (3.4%) and inflation (2.1%), though over time what employers and workers pay toward premiums continues to rise more quickly than wages and inflation. (KFF Health Affairs, 2020)
- Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 4% to average $21,342 this year, according to the 2020 benchmark KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey. On average, workers this year are contributing $5,588 toward the cost of family coverage, with employers paying the rest.
More of a whole picture
As this article reaffirms, health care costs top the list of expenses that people report difficulty affording. (See the image below.) These shares are substantially higher than the shares who report difficulty affording other household expenses such as rent or mortgage, gasoline, monthly utilities, or food and groceries.
In addition to these costs, one-third report difficult paying for hearing or vision care (33%), while about one-quarter say the same about their prescription drugs (26%). Among the insured, about one-quarter (27%) say their monthly premium is difficult to afford. Those with lower incomes, Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to report difficulty affording some medical costs.
Two to tango
You may think to yourself: “X” Party was in power for a long time though – why is this the case?
Thanks, Obama
The title of this section is kind of a gotcha – because really, it takes more than one person/President to mess us up this badly. Plus, after decades of rising costs and stagnation, we cannot pinpoint it on one person.
However, America does this thing where we vote hard on party lines to “prevent things from being worse” when a President of the other party is elected. It’s really easy to hear that “it’s the Democrats’ fault” or “it’s the Republicans’ fault!” There’s honestly a lot of confirmation bias there.
The Affordable Care Act
However, we can of course we can give credit where it’s due. For example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was helpful in that it expanded access to healthcare, but it also maintained the status quo to encourage competition among insurers and healthcare providers.
Fun fact – not everyone knows this, but the ACA was actually a compromise… on behalf of special interests and kind of on behalf of the people. Obamacare is so similar to Romneycare that Polifact has this interesting game where you can play “Is this Romneycare or Obamacare?” It’s as fun as it sounds but we do recommend you check it out.
Final Verdict
So given that the costs of healthcare is sky-high here in America, is it a right or a privilege?
I guess it depends on who you talk to.
Here at MeddleAmerica, we do believe that healthcare is a right. It allows one to live and affords (the key word here) them the pursuit of happiness. Not only that, it’s almost like a moral conundrum for us. The old adage of “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” can be applied here.
Personally, if you (the reader) are hurting because you can’t afford your medical bills, we are hurting with you. We want you, your mother, father, children, friends, and everyone else to have care when they need it. Whether or not you can afford medical bills should never be on anyone’s mind. An iPhone is a privilege – health care simply is not.