Untitled

Sophia Persaud is a 7th grader at Hawtree Creek Middle School.

I am passionate about healthcare in countries other than America. In America, healthcare is very overpriced and it would benefit the country to follow the lead of some other places. The most expensive healthcare in the world is The United States. Healthcare in America costs nearly $4 trillion each year. The average cost of health insurance in the USA is $7,470 for an individual and $21,342 for a family. Healthcare spending per person is expected to rise $10,000 in 2016 and then go steadily higher to $14,944 in 2023. But without healthcare insurance coverage, a serious accident or a health issue that results in emergency care and/or an expensive treatment plan can result in poor credit or even bankruptcy.

Unlike the United States, France has the best healthcare in the world. The average cost of public health insurance for 1 person is €10 (10 Euros) per month while private healthcare insurance for 1 person would be €40 (40 Euros) per month. €10 = 11.33 USD. | €40 = 45.32.

Susan Finley is an example of someone who has been disadvantaged due to the American healthcare system. Susan Finley was a Test Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She was recovering from pneumonia. She lost her job on May 16 and also lost her health insurance coverage. She struggled to find a new job. Three months later, Finley was found dead in her apartment after avoiding going to see a doctor for flu-like symptoms. I don’t know what it was, but she was definitely struggling.

Another example is Ms. Anna Wade. She had no health insurance and she was in good health. She went to the hospital because she had been experiencing chest pain. The physician recommended endoscopy to rule out cancer of the stomach or esophagus. If the tests were normal, he would simply treat her heartburn with medications and some dietary advice. She asked about the cost of the tests and the physician said it would be over $1000. She was worried because she couldn’t pay that much. Her physician then tried to help her out.

So, put your shoes into someone else or let's say someone close to you, and see how they feel when someone they care for is about to die, knowing the only way to save them is money that they don’t have or even close to having. Something you can do is research your healthcare and see what other cheaper healthcare insurance you can get!