'Is the American Healthcare System Broken Beyond Repair?'

Protests in 2009 over the American healthcare system // Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Plagued by a series of interconnected issues, America’s healthcare system is one of the most inequitable and inefficient in the developed world. And after the recent assassination of United Healthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson, fixing it feels more impossible than ever. But are its problems truly irreparable? 

In short, yes, they are. 

With the Republican Party taking control of the government in just over a month, any substantial progress towards a more accessible healthcare system seems highly unlikely. Historically, the GOP has always opposed public healthcare, labelling it “socialist”. Public healthcare is managed by governments and entitles their citizens to healthcare access either through government-owned or regulated private facilities. America, in all its misinformed anti-commie glory, would probably never stand for such a policy, even under Democratic leadership. Clashing with his free-market centric ideology, right-wing rhetoric fuelled by Trump is only likely to deepen resistance towards a more accessible system.

The US spends more on healthcare than any other country, yet it is hard to tell by looking at the impact it’s had on patients. Instead of investing into patient care or prevention, much of their taxpayer’s money goes to administrative costs, insurance company profits, and overpriced drugs. This misdirected focus means the system prioritises profits over addressing root problems, treating symptoms instead of creating lasting solutions. 

With the immense control insurance companies have over patient care, the quality of treatments is severely impacted. Many companies restrict expensive medications or procedures, or even deny coverage outright to keep their costs low. Insured Americans still face exorbitant out-of-pocket costs, and many are denied necessary treatments outright. This profit-driven model is a cancer at the heart of America’s healthcare system, one that actually puts the life of their patients at risk. 

Even more troubling is the disproportionate impact of these issues on marginalised communities. African Americans and other people of colour experience higher rates of chronic illnesses and lower life expectancy due to systemic disadvantages in education, income, and access to care. From a lack of local healthcare providers to inadequate insurance coverage and outright discrimination, these communities bear the brunt of the system’s failures. The persistence of these disparities highlights just how deeply entrenched the problems are—and how difficult it will be to untangle them.

Despite these issues being prominent for many years, Thompson’s death has sparked discourse about the state of America’s healthcare like never before. But are these valid criticisms enough to create a meaningful change? The public’s support of shooter, Luigi Mangione, is all well and good for a laugh on Twitter, but it is unlikely to catalyse real change. True, this ordeal has provoked a surprisingly un-American vitriolic reaction to capitalism, showing just how tired Americans are of their grievances going unheard. But as pessimistic as it sounds, the path to reform doesn’t lie in public outrage—it requires a fundamental shift in the way their system operates. Unfortunately, however, as long as corporate interests, particularly those of big pharma and insurance companies, hold sway over policy decisions, the chances for real change remain slim.

Although the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid offer some hope, they’re up against a political system fuelled by lobbyists and self-involved corporations. The upcoming Trump administration, with its unwavering support from big businesses and the wealthy one percent, is likely to undermine these steps towards affordable healthcare. 

In the end, America’s healthcare system requires more than a few band-aid solutions. Repairing its plethora of problems means stripping and rebuilding it in its entirety. And in the current political landscape, for at least the next four years, that unfortunately seems too far out of reach.