Healthcare involves more than just debating private or universal coverage. It involves sacrifice and commitment. And that’s not easy for us.
In the midst of all things related Covid between 2020-2021, one concerning statistic went somewhat quietly reported in July 2021. Seeing the largest one year drop since World War 2, the average life expectancy in the United States declined from 78.8 years to 77.3. Covid was noted as the primary reason, but if you look deeper into the data, diabetes, drug overdose, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were also mentioned. The media that did cover this story were quick to note that the US faired poorly dealing with the pandemic, and an already stressed healthcare system simply couldn’t keep up with medical care. Hospitals limited treatments, and most likely, many illnesses went undiagnosed, which could have been detected and treated earlier. It’s easy to say this is an issue of coverage, but that would be an easy cop out for a very complex issue.
The debate over healthcare coverage has been ongoing for decades. Typically, Denmark and Nordic countries are used as examples of successful universal healthcare models. However, it’s South Korea that ranks first in healthcare, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Healthcare isn’t free in South Korea, but it’s considered reasonable. Residents cover 20% of costs, and 5% of income goes to healthcare taxes. Denmark ranks 3rd, and though it’s often touted as free, most fail to acknowledge high taxation, and that their model is based on treating life threatening, not necessarily preventable diseases. Healthcare in South Korea accounts for 8% of GDP. In Denmark it’s 10.4%. In the US it’s 19%.
How is it that a country that spends more on healthcare, including research and development, as well as 19% of it’s GDP seen as a “failure” of a capitalist healthcare system? To say that universal healthcare coverage is the answer to America’s healthcare crisis is both misleading and dangerous. Like Bernie Sanders radical approach to economics, it’s easy to say that taxing private wealth is the solution to all problems. Much of what the left advocates regarding education, employment, public safety, and healthcare often involves a removal of accountability, and a shift of responsibility on working Americans. If you have a problem with crime in San Francisco, don’t prosecute. If you have a problem with a grading system, remove it. If you have a problem with law enforcement, defund it. And if you have a problem with healthcare costs, tax income.
There’s a hard truth that many in the United States are unwilling to accept. That your mental and physical health involves your personal involvement and sacrifice. That’s not to downplay the necessity of healthcare based on age, mental health concerns, unforeseen circumstances, or out of control insurance costs. However, it is acknowledging that most of what many Americans deal with can be treated and prevented by lifestyle management. This narrative was rarely mentioned at the beginning of the pandemic, though it does seem to be gaining more attention as the rate of death starts to decline, and more studies validate the importance of nutrition. However, it might be fair to say that had this been addressed more thoroughly at the beginning of the pandemic, countless lives could have been saved. There’s no question that diabetes and obesity accounted for the majority of Covid deaths, (not counting age) so why is it that the CDC hardly mentioned prevention of these diseases? When free donuts are offered as an incentive to get vaccinated, you do have to question if our healthcare officials can see the forest through the trees.
The politics of healthcare has been a long ongoing battle intended to guide Americans in a direction that’s best for their wellbeing. But though well intended, it often involves a level of arrogance and greed. Big Pharma gets involved. The food industry gets involved. Insurance companies get involved. All will not be satisfied with recommendations, and often politicians are pressured by their constituents to consider the financial impact it might have on a particular state. If the USDA recommends consuming less meat and dairy, it’s fair to say that states who produce meat and dairy will react. Same with processed foods. In the 1970’s George McGovern spearheaded a movement to get Americans to eat less fat and consume more carbohydrates. The Dietary Guidelines it introduced faced opposition from food makers, but in the end, much of what they advocated was implemented into the food pyramid released in 1990.
And yet, the health of Americans declined more than it had in history. Whereas up until the early 70’s hunger was considered our greatest concern, we have now for 30 years been dealing with consumption. Finding a balance of health, choice, and economics is not an easy task. It’s also not easy to create a nutrition guide that might fail to take into account cultural, as well as individual dietary needs. This is exactly why it’s time to focus on the personal responsibility we have to our own health. No matter our lifestyle, if you can’t find 20-30 minutes a day to walk or engage in some form of exercise, then you need to find time. If you constantly swing by a fast food restaurant for lunch, then you need to make a different choice. Obviously, it isn’t this simple, and there are other factors to consider. Some of us have personal responsibilities to our families, and many of us work a schedule, such as graveyard shifts, that hinder our ability to get quality sleep. There are definitely many barriers not in our control, but there are many that are.
Making little changes to health is a good first step. If you get a burger for lunch, forget the cheese, and skip the fries. Opt for salad and fruit instead. Consider turning off electronics half an hour before bed. Work on eliminating soda or other high sugar, high caffeine beverages, and track water consumption. Find time to move. An approach to health does not have to be all or nothing. You have more control than you realize.
Until next time
JPN