We are currently the only developed country in the world that does not provide universal healthcare for everyone. This has heavy implications on the American public leaving millions vulnerable to unaffordable medical expenses. 

United States citizens are forced to depend on a healthcare system that 44% of the adult population say they can’t afford. The high cost of health services in America stems from the over privatization within our healthcare system.  Our healthcare is the most expensive yet we rank last in almost all health care measures when compared to other highly developed countries, according to the Commonwealth Fund. It’s a system that prioritizes the profits over the patients more than any other developed nation on the planet. 

The privatized nature of the U.S. healthcare system has led to prices for medical expenses to inflate. Our system often drives up prices without necessarily improving patient care. Hospitals are able to set high prices for all procedures and pharmaceuticals without any regulation. As a result, many Americans are left unable to access essential medical services. Instead of focusing on improving health outcomes, the healthcare system is more concerned with maintaining profitability.

The United States pays double the price of medical costs per citizen than any other country. The U.S. spends approximately $15,474 per person while other countries like the United Kingdom spend just about $5,139. You would think with spending 17.6% of our GDP on healthcare, Americans would be getting more treatment than other countries. However, on average Americans visit the doctor 3.4 times a year while citizens of countries like South Korea visit 15.7 times annually. 

Free Healthcare Would Save Americans Billions

The large amount the United States spends on healthcare is used as an argument against universal healthcare. Critics argue that the high prices paid in the U.S. healthcare system could be difficult to manage under a government funded system. They often argue that transitioning to a single payer system might lead to price controls that would reduce the quality of healthcare and limit innovations in the medical field. 

It’s also important to note that Vermont passed legislation to implement a state-level single payer healthcare system in 2011. The state had enacted a law that implemented Green Mountain Care, which served to free healthcare to all its citizens. Although the system was abandoned by 2014 due to concerns of the economic impact.

This may seem like evidence a single payer system wouldn’t work if passed by legislation. However, a deeper look into Vermont’s universal healthcare plan shows they actually had to plan on how the system would be paid for. It’s estimated Vermont would increase their taxes on citizens by 160%. 

In 2022, Oregon passed Measure 11 which amended their constitution and guaranteed affordable health care as a fundamental right. The plan could be implemented as early as Fall 2027. 

Free healthcare would reduce overall costs by eliminating administrative costs, lowering prices and reducing greedy agendas within the private sector. If everyone was to be entitled to universal healthcare, it is estimated that the United States would save approximately $650 billion a year in healthcare expenses.

Why is American Healthcare so Costly?

The high cost of medical services in America stems from the over privatization within our healthcare system. While the United States’ public healthcare spending programs align with other countries financially, the real financial burden is derived in our private sectors. 

There are hundreds of different private insurance companies such as BlueShield, United Health Groups and Aetna. They all have to negotiate prices on the behalf of each patient in the hospital. This means that hospitals must spend significant time and resources negotiating prices with each insurer, often leading to a difficult billing process. 

The diversity of insurers complicates the efforts to implement nationwide reforms aimed at improving American healthcare. 

Having a wide range of coverage options may initially seem beneficial. However, this variety adds layers of complexity that make it difficult for patients to afford their costs and for providers to maintain consistent pricing structures. 

Unregulated Prices

The same procedure, done by the same doctor, in the same hospital can have a significantly different price depending on what insurance you may have. Hospitals have the ability to set ridiculously high prices without any regulation. Expensive prices for medical procedures, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment are the leading cause of our overspending in healthcare. 

The lack of effective regulation over healthcare prices and costs is unlike any other country. Other countries that allow private insurance companies still have government controlled pricing and insurance companies must accept anyone who applies.

 The only thing stopping the U.S. from universal healthcare is the interests of these private insurance companies. Our healthcare system won’t see reform due to the sheer amount of revenue insurance companies bring in. These market driven prices have raised our healthcare costs higher than any other country. 

We also pay more than any other country on average for things like MRI scans, surgeries, and doctor visits. 

Administrative Costs

Administrative expenses are inflated higher in the U.S. than any other nation due to complex billing procedures and the large number of insurance providers. Having multiple insurers requires extensive paperwork and processing time. Medical providers need to dedicate resources to negotiating payments. Administrative expenses range from processing payments and hiring doctors to the insurers deciding which claims to accept or reject.  

This convoluted process leads to a lot of unnecessary errors. Claims get frequently denied for technicalities that force patients to navigate confusing appeal systems. These appeals are successful 80% of the time in a very complicated multistep system. 

However, only 1% of rejecters ever actually appeal their insurance denials. Those delays can postpone needed treatment. Errors also create financial instability for smaller practices and rural hospitals, which usually lack the funding to chase denied claims, this contributes to service cutbacks and closures we see commonly in hospitals.

These administrative processes increase operational expenses and delays care for patients. Simplifying billing and standardizing our claim processing rules would cut costs and free up funding for actual medical care. The single payer systems like those in many other developed countries significantly reduce administrative costs because the money is streamlined from only one party.

Healthcare Systems in Other Countries 

All single payer healthcare systems and most multisystem healthcare systems have less convoluted processes, which helps to cut costs significantly. These systems tend to streamline administrative processes resulting in more efficient delivery of medical services. 

Since they are primarily funded through taxes, they eliminate the need for multiple insurance providers and the complex billing processes that are prevalent here in the U.S. This reduction in administrative complexity not only lowers overall healthcare costs but also ensures that resources are directed more towards patient care.

Countries with a single payer or publicly funded system allow equal access to essential medical services. This contrasts heavily with America’s healthcare system. Countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada show how public funding creates more affordable healthcare for all residents.

The U.K. has low healthcare prices due to the financing of the National Health Service (NHS). The NHS is a publicly funded healthcare system that provides free or low cost medical services to all UK residents that’s funded primarily through taxes. In Canada, the government funds essential medical care for all of its residents, but dental care and some medicines may not be fully covered. 

America’s Public Health Programs

The cheapest options are the federally funded insurances like Medicare (age based coverage) and Medicaid (income based coverage). Since these programs cover so many people it makes it harder for hospitals and doctors to deny prices put forth by the government. Denying government negotiated prices would mean losing a large portion of that hospital’s clientele. 

This is the opposite of the private insurance market, where numerous plans and varying reimbursement rates often lead to higher administrative expenses and inflated charges. The streamlined nature of Medicare and Medicaid helps contain costs by simplifying billing making them more efficient options for providers and patients.

Although Medicaid may be the cheapest option it still has its flaws. The Medicaid program is different for every state so someone that is eligible in California may not be eligible in Texas. States are only required to cover: children in families making under $25,975 a year, low income seniors, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. 

This creates significant indifference in access to healthcare across the country. Individuals in states with more developed Medicaid programs may receive coverage while those in states with minimal coverage may face higher costs. This system undermines the goal of providing universal coverage. This leaves many Americans without necessary coverage simply because of the state they reside in.

So, an adult from California making under $10,000 a year will qualify for Medicaid while an adult from Texas with no children or disability can’t qualify at all. States also have the choice of what Medicaid can cover.

Consequences of Unaffordable Healthcare

Americans know the healthcare system is expensive. According to the Federal Reserve, 27% of Americans skipped or delayed medical treatment in 2023. Without proper coverage, patients lack the leverage to negotiate prices or access subsidized rates. This results in significantly higher medical bills and patients opting out of necessary care.

These instances aren’t as prominent in all of the United States. A lot of states have delivered consistently stronger healthcare statistics. States like Hawaii, Minnesota, and California are in the same vicinity as the European countries in most healthcare statistics. Such as preventable hospitalizations, infant mortality rates and age expectancy. This is due to investing more money into their healthcare systems and expanding coverage to more citizens. 

However, states like Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have lower life expectancy rates than some third world countries. These states that have the worst health outcomes are also the states with the most uninsured citizens.

People are forced to delay or decline necessary treatments which can lead to worsening health outcomes. It is estimated 42% of people with a household income under $25,000 skipped some medical treatment in 2023.

Large Amount of Uninsured Citizens

Being uninsured means, nobody is negotiating lower prices on your behalf and can lead to paying up to 2.5 times more than someone with insurance. More than 2/5 of working age Americans are not properly insured. 

This large portion of the population is left vulnerable to unexpected health expenses. This lack of coverage not only increases the risk of financial ruin but also decreases the chance of receiving medical care. When people cannot afford to stay healthy the issues can escalate into emergency interventions.

This cycle leads to worse health outcomes for uninsured populations. Preventable, non-insured moralities are estimated to cause approximately 68,000 deaths per year in the United States.

The financial strain from medical bills can be overwhelming, forcing families to fall into large debts. As a result, medical expenses are one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States.  2/3 of all bankruptcies are healthcare related. Preventable, non-insured moralities are estimated to cause approximately 68,000 deaths per year in the United States.

American Hospital’s Prioritize Money

Bankruptcy filings among healthcare institutions are at an all time high. In 2025 alone 41 hospitals shut down. This pressure pushes many hospitals to repeatedly prioritize finances and profitability over patient care. Hospitals operating more like businesses are often forced to make decisions that maximize revenue.

Hospitals have to make difficult tradeoffs that reduce access to care. Especially in rural hospitals and low‑income communities. Private equity ownership and consolidation can amplify these incentives by emphasizing profitable returns over long term community health.

Hospitals are forced to reduce staff and limit services rather than focusing solely on patients. This financially motivated system can lead to longer wait times and worsened quality of treatment.

America Attempts at Universal Healthcare

Universal healthcare would be one of many free services provided by the U.S. government. We already enjoy free public schooling, police and firefighting services, and Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt backed universal healthcare as early as 1912. President Harry Truman advocated for a form of national health insurance in 1945 and attempted a proposal for universal healthcare coverage. He faced criticism from Congress and the American Medical Association(AMA) and ultimately got blocked. The AMA would spend decades spreading propaganda calling the idea of universal healthcare unamerican and radical. 

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy revived the proposal and once again the AMA fought back. The AMA got Ronald Reagan, while he was still an actor, to speak out against universal healthcare. He argued that it was detrimental to leave healthcare out of the hands of the government. 

Americans were not made aware the message was sponsored by the AMA. The propaganda worked and Americans were made to believe healthcare would be better left in the hands of private sectors.

In 2010, President Barack Obama passed the Affordable Care Act(ACA). This proposal’s main objective was to decrease the amount of uninsured people and to force insurance companies to accept any application even if they needed treatment for a preexisting condition. It succeeded in dropping the number of people uninsured, but we are still a long way away from universal healthcare.

Improving American Healthcare

There are many reforms this country needs to start implementing in order to start showing signs of improvement. Pharmaceutical prices would also be slashed significantly, saving Americans millions a year.

Another issue within our current system is the prior authorization process. Preauthorization is a process where insurance companies require healthcare providers to obtain approval before delivering treatments or medication. 

While intended to control costs, this process can often have negative consequences. Prior authorization can result in having to wait weeks for approval, which can be crucial in emergency situations and create serious delays in patient care.

Healthcare is a basic human right and the United States must stop running our healthcare system like a business. No one should have to suffer death at the hands of something that could have been prevented with proper care. 

Despite all the benefits of universal healthcare, political resistance from congress and powerful lobbying groups like the AMA continue to hinder any meaningful change. Addressing these issues could significantly reduce costs, increase health outcomes and improve access for all Americans. 

Healthcare is a basic human right and the United States must stop running our healthcare system like a business. No one should have to suffer death at the hands of something that could have been prevented with proper care. 

We must reform policy and prioritize care over margins. This will expand coverage so that income no longer determines whether you live or die. We must protect rural hospitals and guarantee access to medical care for all Americans no matter the state they live in. Real change can only start to happen when regulations on insurance companies start being implemented.

Ultimately, prioritizing the health of our nation over profits is essential for building a more sustainable healthcare system. One that serves the needs of the American people rather than the interests of big insurance.