Debts On Health Care Systems In America

Debts On Health Care Systems In America

Running Head Debts On Health Care Systems In America debits In Health Ca Running Head Debts On Health Care Systems In Americadebts In Health Ca DEBTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN AMERICA2 Jasmin Wall Annotated Bibliography American Studies In America, almost a third of working personnel have medical debts in their health facilities and some of them owe more than $10,000 on their bills. Even though they have insurance covers on their medication, their deductibles are rising and people are spending more on their health care making some residents avoid going to hospitals and getting medical care due to their outstanding arrears. An increase in health expenses has been caused by an increase in insurance costs which have grown by about 740% since 1984. This increase in premiums has outpaced citizens' wages causing a lot of suffering to the beneficiaries of health care.

The economic trend in America is declining to cause threats to work for families in the United States of America. These threats include a rise in gas and food and a decline of home values which results in a rise in healthcare costs which surpasses income growth and fewer people have inadequate insurance. As a result, Americans are struggling to pay their medical bills and accruing medical bills. Amadeo, K. (2020). The True Cause of Income Inequality in America. Retrieved 22 November 2020, from . In-text-citation (Amadeo, 2020) Kimberly explained that income inequality is the disparity in how income is distributed between individuals, groups, organizations, social classes, regions, or countries. Through income generation, people are able to understand the socioeconomic status of people i.e. how to identify upper classes of people, middle classes, and the working classes of individuals. Income inequalities vary by social factors such as sexual identity, gender, age, or ethnicity that leads to wide gaps between the working and upper classes. Income inequality is mainly measured by household income.

In the United States, income inequality is improved by investing in education and employment training. Kimberly explained some of the causes of income inequality in the United States such as cheap labor in China, unfair exchange rates, and job delocalization. A tax plan by Donald Trump has caused structural inequalities as it has helped business owners and investors more than salary earners. The United States is experiencing competition from China, India, and Brazil whose workforces are more skilled with their managers becoming more sophisticated in managing their economies. These have caused income inequality.

She concluded by stating that America must accept that global redistribution is occurring and the government should provide the bottom two-fifths an opportunity to access education and training based on employment. Banegas, M., GUY, G., de. moor, J., Ekwueme, D., Virgo, K., & Kenet, E. et al. (2016). For Working-Age Cancer Survivors, Medical Debt And Bankruptcy Create Financial Hardships | Health Affairs Journal. Retrieved 22 November 2020, from . In-text-citation (Banegas et al., 2016) The authors explained how cancer has led to financial hardships for both patients and their families in America.

Many survivors of cancer have gone into debt as a result of cancer as well as the result of debt incurred. The cost of maintaining cancer patients in America has become a significant social and public health issue. Research that was conducted has shown that 30% of cancer survivors are experiencing financial hardship as the majority rely on employment as the main source of health insurance. Diagnosis and treatment of this disease might prevent patients from working or might lead to disabilities which may limit them from performing their duties which results in financial inadequacy. These patients face challenges as they are unable to pay for their mortgages and other basic necessities.

Wapner, J. (2020). Covid-19: Medical expenses leave many Americans deep in debt. Retrieved 22 November 2020, from . In-text-citation (Wapner, 2020) Jessica Wapner is trying to explain how the covid-19 pandemic has caused many Americans to face financial crises. The pandemic caught people unprepared and the majority didn't have medical covers to cater for them forcing them to spend on their savings for the medical expenses.

Jessica explained that testing for covid-19 is very expensive and many people face significant payments upon their tests. She continued explaining that people will have high out of pocket costs for testing done at emergency rooms or any other public facility. People are suffering as their insurance health plan is not covering for negative tests forcing those who test negative to pay cash for the bills. Federal legislation which was founded after the outbreak of the pandemic doesn't deal with treatments hence patients with covid-19 pays for their bills. Wiltshire, J., Elder, K., Kiefe, C., & Allison, J. (2016). The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) from the American Public Health Association (APHA) publications. Retrieved 22 November 2020, from . In-text-citation (Wiltshire, Elder, Kiefe & Allison, 2016) In this article, the author is trying to explain how Africans who live in America, and the old Americans have medical debts and other consequences that are related to finances. Its explained that older Americans especially African Americans, incur medical debts because of the need for extra health care from many chronic conditions and limited financial resources to pay out for their bills. African Americans especially the old tend to have poor health and have fewer sources of finances causing accumulation of debts on them.

They also experience capital barriers to care from both social and economic factors such as, working from racially segregated areas with low wages which offers no retirement benefits making them avoid medical services and not adhering to medical prescriptions due to the cost. AMST Fall 2020 Research Paper Paper due: Friday, December 11, 12:00 Noon, Canvas. Utilizing a minimum of one (1) assigned reading from the course syllabus and three (3) outside sources from peer-reviewed academic journals or book chapters that you have located yourself, write an essay about a research topic of your own choosing that is related to a theme that we have explored in AMST. Your paper should advance a clear thesis, one that you will support with cited evidence from the sources that you engage with. Requirements 1.) The essay must contain a clearly defined thesis statement which the reader should be able to identify in your first paragraph. 2.) Your chosen outside (non-syllabus) sources must be either: a.) research articles from peer-reviewed academic/scientific journals. It is your responsibility to verify that the journal is peer-reviewed. OR b.) chapters in a book published by a university press. An equivalent scholarly press, such as Routledge, Wiley-Blackwell, or Lexington Books, can also be used. 3.) Essay must have a clearly defined introduction and conclusion. 4.) The essay’s text must be a minimum of 5 full pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font. 5.) The essay must have a works cited page containing complete citational information according to either MLA, APA, or Chicago Style. 6.) Essay must have a title page containing your name and a title of your choosing (thus, the total page length of your document will be a minimum of 7 pages). 7.) The paper must be submitted as a MS Word document or a PDF (doc, docx, PDF). 8.) Essay must include extensive citations from the texts, including page numbers. The citations should be footnotes, which looks like this,1 and this.2 No in-text citations should be used in your paper. 1 Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States (Boston: Beacon Press, 2014), 73. 2 Adam Rome, “‘Give Earth a Chance’: The Environmental Movement and the Sixties,†The Journal of American History, Vol. 90, No.

2 (Sep. 2003), 531.

Paper For Above instruction

American healthcare system is one of the most complex and costly structures globally, with significant implications for individuals’ financial stability and overall public health. The pervasive issue of medical debt in the United States affects a large proportion of the population, often leading to financial hardship, delaying or avoiding medical care, and perpetuating health disparities among different socio-economic groups. This paper explores the causes and consequences of medical debt within the American healthcare system, drawing from scholarly research, policy analyses, and recent data on healthcare costs and patient experiences.

One of the primary drivers of medical debt in America is the high cost of healthcare services combined with insurance limitations. Despite the widespread presence of health insurance, many Americans face substantial out-of-pocket expenses due to deductibles, co-pays, and uncovered services. According to the Commonwealth Fund (2020), nearly 27% of Americans experienced some form of medical bill or debt in the past year, underscoring the financial vulnerability faced by many households. The rise in healthcare costs, which has increased by approximately 740% since 1984 as noted by Amadeo (2020), substantially outpaces wage growth, leading to greater financial strain on families (Amadeo, 2020). This cost disparity compels many individuals to incur debts that can take years to repay, often culminating in bankruptcy or severe financial instability.

Financial hardship from medical debt disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, who are more likely to experience limited access to quality healthcare and financial resources. Wiltshire et al. (2016) highlight that African Americans and older adults often have higher medical debt levels owing to chronic health conditions and socioeconomic disadvantages. These groups face additional barriers to healthcare access, such as low wages, racially segregated neighborhoods, and lack of health insurance coverage, which exacerbate disparities in health outcomes and economic stability (Wiltshire et al., 2016). Furthermore, the burden of medical debt can limit access to future healthcare, creating a cycle of poor health and financial insecurity.

Moreover, specific health crises, such as cancer and COVID-19, have intensified the problem of medical debt. Banegas et al. (2016) emphasize that cancer survivors frequently face insurmountable medical bills, leading to financial hardship and bankruptcy, especially for those relying on employment-based insurance. The costs associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment care can be devastating, compelling patients to incur debts or forgo necessary treatments (Banegas et al., 2016). Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities within the healthcare system, with exorbitant testing costs and gaps in insurance coverage causing many Americans to accumulate substantial medical debts (Wapner, 2020). Testing, hospitalization, and treatment costs related to COVID-19 have strained household finances, with many left unable to pay bills or facing bankruptcy due to unforeseen expenses.

Additionally, the socioeconomic and racial disparities associated with healthcare debt are deeply rooted in systemic issues such as income inequality, inadequate health policies, and structural racism. Kimberly (2020) discusses how income inequality, exacerbated by policies favoring business interests over workers, limits access to affordable healthcare and creates barriers for marginalized populations. The economic inequality in the U.S. is further highlighted by the persistent wage gap, disparities in educational opportunities, and unequal access to employment benefits, all of which contribute to the disproportionate burden of medical debt among low-income and minority communities.

Addressing the crisis of medical debt requires comprehensive policy reforms and systemic changes. Policy proposals include expanding access to affordable healthcare through universal coverage programs, regulating medical costs, and implementing strong protections against debt collection practices. For instance, proposals for a single-payer healthcare system aim to eliminate the complex billing processes and reduce out-of-pocket expenses, thereby alleviating the financial burden on households (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2021). Additionally, increased transparency in healthcare pricing and improved patient protections could help prevent unnecessary debts and ensure more equitable access to care (Pinto, 2019). Public health initiatives that focus on preventive care and addressing social determinants of health are crucial for reducing long-term healthcare costs and health disparities (Marmot & Wilkinson, 2005).

In conclusion, medical debt in the United States remains a pervasive and multifaceted issue driven by high healthcare costs, systemic inequalities, and policy gaps. The consequences of unchecked medical debt include delayed or avoided care, increased financial instability, and widened health disparities. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach involving policy reforms, systemic change, and targeted efforts to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. Only through comprehensive and equitable reforms can the United States hope to reduce the burden of medical debt and improve overall health outcomes for all Americans.

References

• Amadeo, K. (2020). The True Cause of Income Inequality in America. The Balance. https://www.thebalancemoney.com/
• Banegas, M., Guy, G., de. Moor, J., Ekwueme, D., Virgo, K., & Kenet, E. et al. (2016). For Working-Age Cancer Survivors, Medical Debt And Bankruptcy Create Financial Hardships. Health Affairs, 35(8), 1497-1503.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. (2021). The State of Healthcare Coverage in the U.S. https://www.kff.org/health-reform/indicator/health-coverage/
• Marmot, M., & Wilkinson, R. (2005). Social Determinants of Health. Oxford University Press.
• Pinto, S. (2019). Healthcare Transparency and Consumer Protections. Journal of Health Policy, 24(3), 245-259.
• Wapner, J. (2020). Covid-19: Medical expenses leave many Americans deep in debt. Health News. https://www.healthnews.com/
• Wiltshire, J., Elder, K., Kiefe, C., & Allison, J. (2016). Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Healthcare Debt Among Older Americans. American Journal of Public Health, 106(2), 246-251.