Before the elections in the USA: the health challenges, the healthcare system in the USA

America is going to the elections and at the top of the campaigns are the issues of the economy and immigrants, but America is facing significant difficulties in the fields of health and medicine: extreme obesity is one of the highest in the world, smoking from a young age, the issues of abortion, and the failed medical insurance are just some of the many challenges that the next president or president will have to face.

The United States spends about 4.1 trillion dollars a year on health care, which is about 17.7% of the gross domestic product (GDP), but the results are far from satisfactory. A study by the Commonwealth Fund found that the American health system ranks last among many developed countries, including Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, in a variety of areas such as access to care and health equality.

The large investment in the health system does not result in a significant improvement in health indicators, such as life expectancy, which is currently only 78.6 years in the United States, lower than in other Western countries.

These are the main challenges in the fields of health and medicine:

1. Health insurance:
About 51 million Americans live without any health insurance, and another 25 million suffer from undercoverage, meaning their insurance does not cover all medical needs. The United States has a highly disparate health care system, where health insurance depends on employers, and in many cases people lose their coverage in situations of unemployment or job transition. As a result, healthcare costs fall heavily on the patients themselves, leading to a heavy financial burden. The data shows that about 18% of Americans avoid going to the doctor or continuing medical treatment because of high costs.

2. Obesity:
About 42% of Americans are obese, a figure that is increasing over the years. Obesity affects morbidity rates in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and various types of cancer. Life expectancy in the United States is hampered by high levels of obesity, and a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the risk of death from obesity is 30%-40% higher than for people of normal weight.

3. Smoking:
The rate of smoking among adults in the United States has decreased in recent decades, but still stands at about 12.5% ​​among the adult population. Smoking is considered one of the main causes of premature mortality in the United States, as it leads to diseases such as lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic respiratory diseases. According to estimates, smoking is responsible for the death of approximately 480,000 Americans each year, and causes economic damage of hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

4. Mental health:
Mental health challenges have become one of the burning issues in the United States, with approximately 20% of Americans reporting symptoms of mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) data indicate that approximately 7% of adults in the US suffer from clinical depression. However, only a small portion of them receive adequate treatment, mainly due to the lack of appropriate insurance coverage and the inaccessibility of services in this area.

5. Dealing with epidemics:
The Corona pandemic has exposed the weaknesses and gaps in the healthcare system in the US. With over 1.1 million deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, the need to strengthen public healthcare services, medical infrastructure and necessary equipment has become self-evident. The weakness in the field of public healthcare is also evident in the lack of preparedness for future pandemics.

6. Health disparities:
There is a significant gap in the accessibility and quality of treatment between different populations. For example, minority and ethnic groups, particularly the African-American and Hispanic community, suffer from a higher morbidity of chronic diseases and a weaker medical support system. According to a study by the Centers for Health (CDC), African Americans are 50% more prone to diseases such as hypertension compared to other populations.

Candidate positions

During his tenure, Donald Trump Tried to repeal Obamacare and replace it with another program, but failed to repeal the law in its entirety. Since then he continues to support a model based on reducing regulation on insurance companies and pharmaceuticals, in an attempt to lower costs for patients. Trump believes that competition between insurance companies will lead to lower costs and improved service. However, his policy to reduce public spending on health causes concern among the professionals, who estimate that these measures will especially harm the middle and lower class.

Kamala Harris For her part, she supports the expansion of Obama’s health law, while creating an addition to the existing health services. Harris speaks about the need for health coverage for every American, and she supports reforms aimed at expanding insurance coverage and reducing costs for drugs and medical products. In addition, Harris undertakes to strengthen the public health system and to work to lower costs in the pharmaceutical field – a burning issue in light of sharp price increases.

The elections in the United States may determine the direction the health care system will take in the coming years. The significant challenges in the health sector, including access to treatment, obesity, smoking and health disparities, necessitate extensive and targeted reforms. The choice between Trump and Harris is expected to affect not only the economy, the issue of immigrants and support for Israel, but also the fragile health of the residents of the land of unlimited possibilities.