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What Healthcare Issues US Is Facing Right Now?

Issues in Healthcare in the USA have been discussed previously. For years, people have been experiencing issues with affordability, insurance coverage, and much more, which have now become a burden for US citizens. Although the United States spends more on healthcare than its peer countries, it has lower life expectancy and a high mortality rate. This contradiction points to a complex system battling with several critical issues. 

Moreover, when it comes to affordability, most people find it extremely expensive. Access to healthcare in America is normally provided through health insurance. U.S. Citizens acknowledge that coverage is a valuable asset to them. Thus, they only have positive words to say about it. However, a healthy person will not purchase health insurance. Consequently, evaluating how coverage works for those who are sick is important in determining how well our current healthcare system works when needed. Also, if you would like to know about the influence of marketing on consumer behavior and other interesting information, visit Route Shopping and enlighten your mind.

healthcare issues in usa


That said, the KFF Survey of Consumer Experiences with Health Insurance report states that the most prominent problem people face is related to their health coverage. The problems encountered related to health coverage include:

  • Difficulty obtaining approval from an insurance company or other healthcare payer
  • Rejected or improperly processed insurance claims
  • Network provider issues

The citizens have faced many more minor issues in healthcare, but the above-mentioned are the most noticeable ones. KFF also reported that most people who benefit from health care and mental healthcare users are not less plagued with insurance issues.

Below is the list of top Healthcare Issues In USA, with the details mentioned in the next section.

  • Drug Cost
  • Constant Employment Turnover of Medical Staff
  • Prioritizing People Who Can ‘Afford’ Medical Healthcare
  • Medical Health Insurance Linked With Your Employment
  • Unavailability Of Medical Staff
  • Difficulty Getting Insurance from Medical Insurance Companies
  • Healthcare Policy Accessibility

Thus, in this article, we will discuss healthcare problems commonly faced by US citizens. Without further delay, let’s dive in!

Significant Healthcare Issues In USA

The Burden Of Healthcare Costs

Higher costs are one of the main issues in healthcare in the USA that must be highlighted. Inadequately insured people face an immense risk of bankruptcy because of the high costs. It is extremely difficult to expect good quality health care compared to the costs, as they differ greatly. Even if you carefully ask many questions in advance and choose doctors within your health insurance network, there is a chance that you will still receive an unanticipated bill.

It’s important to note that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) predicted the country’s healthcare spending in 2023. Their report revealed that the National Healthcare Expenditure (NHE) is projected to increase by 5.4%, overtaking the GDP growth rate of 4.6%.

In simpler words, the cost of healthcare in the United States is going up very fast. Imagine the price of everything increasing year after year. That is what is happening with healthcare, It is getting more expensive.

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Drug Cost

According to the KFF article, it has been found that many adults in the US declare that they require prescription drugs daily. Most of the adults showed concern that they cannot pay for their prescription drugs, particularly those who take more than one prescription drug in a day.

Drug Cost


Constant Employment Turnover of Medical Staff

For hospitals, staffing is one of the major problems to tackle, as during the pandemic, around 100,000 nurses left their jobs. Although the situation is far better than now, the staff continue to leave, hiring new staff seems impossible. Frequently, when hospitals can’t find doctors and nurses on their own, they often rely on agencies, but it costs a lot of money for hospitals, and now the cost has doubled. This is also one of the reasons people cannot access doctors and nurses when needed.

Prioritizing People Who Can ‘Afford’ Medical Healthcare

This is not news to anyone that the present yet harsh US system prioritizes those who can afford the high costs and denies or delays medical care for those who need it immediately. More importantly, they can only be prioritized if they can afford it. Therefore, such circumstances cause differences in healthcare for underprivileged people.

Medical Health Insurance Linked With Your Employment

Another issue with accessing healthcare insurance is that it is bound to your employment. Your health insurance is also secured as long as you have a secure job, but the day you get fired, your access to health insurance is gone, too.

Unavailability Of Medical Staff

It doesn’t stop here as another accessibility issue arises when looking for a doctor. For instance, imagine you need to see a doctor, but you can only get an appointment after a few weeks, maybe even months, this is the problem in many parts of the USA. There need to be more doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers around.

medical staff


Difficulty Getting Insurance from Medical Insurance Companies

Moreover, health insurance companies sometimes only allow coverage for hefty medical treatments and tests if you fill out the required forms to justify the service to the insurance holder. Nevertheless, this can cause a lot of hassle to the medical healthcare department and the insurance company, not to mention the cost of making people refrain from the care their doctor has considered. 

Healthcare Policy Accessibility

The problem of health insurance exists in several dimensions in the US. Even though most of the population is covered, increasing premiums and decreasing policy quality put pressure on millions of families and their household budgets. Even the major concern is the unequal access to these policies, which means most minorities and disadvantaged families without health coverage will suffer from health-related issues. 

With that being said, the United States Census Bureau also declared that about 27.5 million workers with lower wages do not have medical insurance. Due to that, the average mortality rate is 30 to 90 thousand a year. Thus, the insurance coverage policy is one of the most spoken issues in the United States, pushing policymakers and healthcare advocates to come up with a solution. 

Impact of Unfair Systems on Community Health 

Access to healthcare is extremely important; everyone deserves equal access to it. While access to healthcare is crucial, unfair systems also create living conditions that harm people’s overall health. For example, some areas need more necessary resources such as grocery stores, safe walking pavements, parks, childcare facilities, and public conveyance. This lack contributes to health outcomes and results in an increased prevalence of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases. 

Racism in healthcare industry

Further, an article declared that social issues in healthcare related to systemic differences in urban areas like Metro Nashville restrain access to important resources and honor unfavorable health outcomes. Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, a president of Nashville’s Meharry Medical College, emphasizes how racism has a far-reaching impact affecting everything from access to the representation of minority voices in important healthcare areas. The lack of Black students and researchers, along with the noticeable absence of diversity in healthcare leadership, shows the presence of ingrained biases that interfere with efforts to achieve fair and equal healthcare for all.

Adults Unable to Settle Past Due Medical Bills According To KFF

KFF, in one of the analyses, has recently demonstrated the uncanny problem of healthcare debt in the United States. The KFF Health Care Debt Survey, developed and conducted in partnership with NPR’s Diagnosis Debt project, points out that 41% of adults in the U.S. currently have medical or dental bills. 

This sample includes approximately a quarter of adults who cannot pay the bill or struggle to pay past due and one in five adults who give a monthly payment to the provider. The survey also helped identify the different types of healthcare debt, where 17% reported owing money to banks or collection agencies. 

Consequently, the KFF analysis mentioned above aims to shed light on the widespread issue of healthcare debt in the United States. Examining data from the KFF Health Care Debt Survey reveals the extent of the problem and its impact on various demographic groups. 

 I have highlighted this information to show how a prominent part of the population is loaded with medical or dental bills, with many facing challenges in paying them off. Additionally, the KFF analysis underscores the disproportionate burden of healthcare debt on vulnerable populations, such as lower-income individuals, the uninsured, and minority groups. 

What US Government Is Doing To Handle Healthcare Crisis?

The great thing is that, In this crisis, the US government is not hiding behind, but they are taking all the necessary steps to overcome healthcare issues. The key steps that are going to be implemented to resolve the healthcare issue are mentioned below.

  • Expanding healthcare to remote areas where this facility is not available
  • Reducing the cost of prescription
  • Lowering healthcare insurance premium
US government steps towards healthcare issues


Key Takeaways

  • The USA’s healthcare issues relate to affordability, insurance, and access, and it is a major drawback for citizens. 
  • Despite its high spending levels, the USA’s system has a higher mortality rate. Moreover, American life expectancy is also quite lower than that of peer countries. 
  • Affordability still needs to be addressed, as a person may find insurance too costly with out-of-pocket costs or, even more so, unexpected bills when underinsured. 
  • Constant employment turnover among medical staff exacerbates healthcare accessibility issues, contributing to delays in receiving care. 
  • Access to healthcare is tied to employment, leaving individuals vulnerable to losing coverage when unemployed. 
  • Difficulty accessing medical staff and obtaining insurance approval further complicates healthcare accessibility. 
  • The policy landscape worsens disparities, with minorities and disadvantaged families disproportionately lacking coverage, leading to adverse health outcomes. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the biggest issue with the US healthcare system?

The primary issue in healthcare in the US is the inability of a large majority of people to afford and gain access to medical care. Despite being unrivalled globally in healthcare expenditures, the US has yet to grapple with the hoard of expenses that overwhelm individuals and families. This is the reason why people can’t afford medical care or neglect treatment due to their inability to pay.

Why is access to healthcare a problem in the US?

Access to healthcare in the US is limited because of high prices, work-related insurance, job turnover, medical professionals who leave their jobs, and insurance authorization difficulties, creating unequal opportunities for many people.

When did healthcare become a problem in the US?

The US healthcare system first faced problems in the 20th century. Two reasons for this were the spread of modern medicine and the absence of insurance for most people. While occurrences like The Great Depression negatively affected the development of healthcare systems, they were not included in the social safety nets.

Where does the US rank in healthcare?

According to a trustworthy report from the Commonwealth Fund, US Healthcare ranked last in the five foremost aspects in 2021. The most important ones are affordability, access to healthcare, and insurance coverage.

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