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‘I Only Need To Stick Around 4 Or 5 More Years’: Doctor Shows How Horrific The US Healthcare System Is
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‘I Only Need To Stick Around 4 Or 5 More Years’: Doctor Shows How Horrific The US Healthcare System Is

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Sometimes, it can feel like getting sick is like being robbed: “Your money or your life.” It’s no surprise that a lot of Americans believe that the healthcare and insurance systems in the United States could use a lot of improvement. The main issue—exorbitant prices for life-saving treatment and medication that you might not be able to afford at all or that will put you in serious debt.

Nephrologist (kidney specialist) Sayed Tabatabai from San Antonio in Texas shared the heart-rending reality of being part of a system that leaves a lot of people fending for themselves. He revealed how a patient of his was thinking about choosing between his diabetes and blood pressure medication because of money worries.

Scroll down to read Dr. Sayed’s story and insights about the US healthcare system in his own words. And let us know in the comments if you’ve ever had any problems with the American healthcare system yourselves, dear Pandas.

Dr. Tabatabai explained why the US healthcare system needs to change, badly

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

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Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

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Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

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Harvard economist David Cutler told Investopedia that the reason why US healthcare costs are so high is because of the “astronomical” administrative costs. Around a quarter of healthcare cost is linked with administration; far higher than in any other country.

However, that’s not the only issue affecting cost. There’s also a lack of competition in the US because hospitals are consolidated. While the healthcare system is so complex that its inefficiency also raises costs.

Those are all part of the reason why the World Health Organization ranks the US’ healthcare system as only the 37th best in the world. High costs don’t always mean high quality. That’s not to say that the US doesn’t have some amazing specialists or high-quality treatments available. However, it does mean that there’s a lot of room for improvement.

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According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, the US devotes a bigger part of its national income to healthcare than any other OECD country. Last decade, healthcare spending in OECD countries stayed around 8.7 percent of the annual gross domestic product. Meanwhile, spending in the US rose from 16.3 to 17 percent of GDP.

The US also spends more on healthcare per person than any other wealthy country at around 11k dollars in 2019. The second highest-spending country was Switzerland with 7.7k dollars. The sad fact is that despite spending so much money on healthcare, the US doesn’t have better results: it’s a high-cost, low-outcome system that needs to be reformed.

One woman asked the doctor a very important question…

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…and here’s what he answered

Image credits: TheRealDoctorT

Here’s what other people said after reading the medical professional’s thread

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

Read less »

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

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Ms Forty Seven
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Rwanda, a country in east central Africa, there is health insurance for all. It is subsidised for different income levels so that even the poorest can access healthcare. There are very few doctors per patient so a nationwide program providing neighbourhood healthworkers was launched to help provide basic care to people even in very rural parts of the country. It is crazy to think that a so called world power like the USA is failing it's citizens to such an extraordinary degree.

Laugh or not
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The biggest issue is that the american population has been largely convinced that any system of mutual aid (such as universal healthcare, workers unions, etc.) are bad because they are socialist or, worse, communist. Whereas people in countries like Rwanda have learn the hard way that without union, you die.

Load More Replies...
Kristoffer Rahbek-Jensen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still can't fathom why the US can't make universal healthcare a priority, the rest of the western world and a big part of ther third world have it and it works.

Virgil Blue
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone doesnt seem to want to explain clearly to the public that paying some of your income to make care available to all makes the care you will *inevitably* need sometime in the future free for some things and a lot cheaper for other treatments because the costs are borne by a large group. It's not "socialism" it's creating a system that works (for the most part) and helps the largest amount of people improving life for all

Load More Replies...
Richard Brown
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

America, it seems, goes by the motto 'Greed Before Need' They all know what they need and that's a universal free at access healthcare system. The reason they won't? Insurance companies will lose a lot of money. Medical facilities will have to start pricing fairly and not for profit. The government will have to pay out and are worried that the politicians at every level may have to take a pay cut. Want to know what the biggest cause of why there is not and never going to be universal healthcare in America? The Americans themselves. They are convinced that they will have to pay extra taxes for someone else's healthcare not realizing the money has already been taken and is there right now. The amount taken per person per year to fund it is so pitifully low that they wouldn't notice. Ask yourselves this question: Would you prefer to pay $1 per month for free at access healthcare or pay $500 for a $10 pack of pills? I can tell you that Americans will choose $500! Greed before Need.

Load More Comments
Ms Forty Seven
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Rwanda, a country in east central Africa, there is health insurance for all. It is subsidised for different income levels so that even the poorest can access healthcare. There are very few doctors per patient so a nationwide program providing neighbourhood healthworkers was launched to help provide basic care to people even in very rural parts of the country. It is crazy to think that a so called world power like the USA is failing it's citizens to such an extraordinary degree.

Laugh or not
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The biggest issue is that the american population has been largely convinced that any system of mutual aid (such as universal healthcare, workers unions, etc.) are bad because they are socialist or, worse, communist. Whereas people in countries like Rwanda have learn the hard way that without union, you die.

Load More Replies...
Kristoffer Rahbek-Jensen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still can't fathom why the US can't make universal healthcare a priority, the rest of the western world and a big part of ther third world have it and it works.

Virgil Blue
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone doesnt seem to want to explain clearly to the public that paying some of your income to make care available to all makes the care you will *inevitably* need sometime in the future free for some things and a lot cheaper for other treatments because the costs are borne by a large group. It's not "socialism" it's creating a system that works (for the most part) and helps the largest amount of people improving life for all

Load More Replies...
Richard Brown
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

America, it seems, goes by the motto 'Greed Before Need' They all know what they need and that's a universal free at access healthcare system. The reason they won't? Insurance companies will lose a lot of money. Medical facilities will have to start pricing fairly and not for profit. The government will have to pay out and are worried that the politicians at every level may have to take a pay cut. Want to know what the biggest cause of why there is not and never going to be universal healthcare in America? The Americans themselves. They are convinced that they will have to pay extra taxes for someone else's healthcare not realizing the money has already been taken and is there right now. The amount taken per person per year to fund it is so pitifully low that they wouldn't notice. Ask yourselves this question: Would you prefer to pay $1 per month for free at access healthcare or pay $500 for a $10 pack of pills? I can tell you that Americans will choose $500! Greed before Need.

Load More Comments
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