As an investment worth about 1/7th of the American GDP, it is evident that healthcare is a tremendous priority to the U.S. government. (Kolata) With all investments, however, come the expectations of positive returns and utility - and from the statistics, it looks like this particular investment might be a tremendous failure. Indeed, health is important to Americans; programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which provide health services to the poor and elderly spawned from Johnson's Great Society in the sixties with the intent of establishing a strong, healthy America. It is apparent, however, that the system needs repairs; the U.S. spends 50% more on healthcare than most other countries, and yet Americans are not healthier, by any means, than citizens of those countries. (Tyson) .
To be fair, for those that need and can afford it, healthcare options presented today are fast and efficient. The technological strides made within medical care have tremendously affected the way patients receive care, the amount and quality of new prescription drugs, and has lightened the burden of M.D.'s as well. (Markus) These advances are a double edged sword, however; not everyone can afford them. Additionally, nearly a third of Americans, mostly poor, are uninsured, and the elderly cannot afford normal everyday medications. (Toner) These blatant cracks in Medicare and Medicaid must be dealt with if the U.S. is serious about healthcare. Another vital statistic is fact that the system in its" current incarnation will run out of money in 25 years if something is not reformed. (Markus) .
It is obvious from studies and comparisons of U.S. healthcare to other systems that a straight correlation between the amounts of money spent on healthcare and actual health does not exist. (Tyson) In the case of America, there are several reasons to explain this. Firstly, it appears as though the average American is overtreated when it comes to healthcare.
