The High Cost of Healthcare in America: The Real Truth
INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.
Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, interviewed Dr. David Wilcox.
Health Transparency: The Real Truth with Dr. David Wilcox
The United States spends more on health care than any other high-income country, the nation often performs worse on measures of health and health care. As an example, US Americans spend $8,362 per capita on healthcare annually, while the British spend $3,480. America is 11th out of 11 industrialized nations for quality while the British are 4th.
Getting access to quality healthcare in America can be very expensive. This aspect of the American Healthcare System actually discourages people from accessing the healthcare system which in turn can drive up costs as preventative healthcare can aid in catching diseases such as cancer or heart disease early. Once you do enter the American Healthcare system it is often difficult to navigate, no wonder people put off getting healthcare in America.
I was recently in London watching a street performer. At the end of his act, he asked for donations and made the statement “I am from America and I can’t afford healthcare insurance” hoping to obtain more donations. That statement blew me away. Many people from other countries state that they fear getting sick or injured in America because the cost of healthcare is so expensive. Not a good look for the country that is leading the free world.
What happens when Americans get sick in other countries? Let’s use a case study about a young woman who was traveling to Thailand and got ill. She shared this story on her TikTok account.
Her symptoms included chills, cold sweats, and eventually severe vomiting, which left her unable to keep down any solid food or liquids. She accessed the healthcare system in Thailand in the middle of the night. She said that her experience at the Bangkok Hospital was surprisingly positive.
She was directed to a floor designated for international patients, indicating a well thought out strategy for foreigners often lacking in the U.S. healthcare system. She had several tests, including a COVID-19 test, a strep throat test, and another unspecified test, all of which returned negative results.
Once she had a thorough exam and tests and was given medication to treat her illness she was charged $133 US Dollars. She estimated that the same care in the US would have cost her between $10,000- $20,000 thousand.
This stark contrast between the American Healthcare System and the Thailand Healthcare System really drives home the point that the cost of healthcare in America is driven by entities to produce profits. Whereas healthcare in other countries is considered a basic human right, you have to pay to play in the American Healthcare System. The more money you can spend the better healthcare you will receive. As I pointed out previously, not a great look for a country that prides itself on being the leader of the free world while other countries can deliver better healthcare at a fraction of the cost.
You can purchase Dr. David Wilcox’s book How to Avoid Being a Victim of the American Healthcare System: A Patient’s Handbook for Survival on Amazon at the following link https://lnkd.in/diZKYC2
Follow me on social media at:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Dr-David-Wilcox-102834559130574
Twitter – https://twitter.com/DrDavidHelps
You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyYHs6ttrJ5l6-kUc-lEP9Q
According to a statement, “Healthcare is complex and that is not an accident. It is complex by the healthcare entities vying for your healthcare dollars. Covid has exacerbated the American Healthcare System, which was fragile, to begin with. Many clinicians are leaving healthcare due to burnout. How does the average layperson navigate the complexities of the American Healthcare System where a prescription could cost you $5 at one pharmacy and $500 at another? What does the average layperson do when their insurance company rejects their claim? Proactive education of the American Healthcare System prior to accessing it is the key to safely navigating the healthcare system. Until now, little information has been available to provide the layperson with the knowledge they need to be a better partner in their health care. Dr. David Wilcox’s book How to Avoid Being a Victim of the American Healthcare System: A Patient’s Handbook for Survival” is a game-changer and will provide you with the skill set you need to navigate the American Healthcare System.
Website: https://drdavidwilcox.com/
Dr. Wilcox is a Doctorate prepared nurse who also holds a Masters in Health Administration and is Board Certified in Nursing Informatics. Dr. Wilcox has 28 years of healthcare experience in which he worked as a bedside nurse, hospital administrator, and in healthcare information technology which has helped him to develop his unique perspective on the American Healthcare System.
Dr. Wilcox is the author of the book “How to Avoid Being a Victim of the American Healthcare System: A Patient’s Handbook for Survival (2021)” available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578878364
Dr. Wilcox currently resides in North Carolina with his wife and their three dogs.
Dr Wilcox’s website: Dr. David Wilcox – Healthcare, American Healthcare System (drdavidwilcox.com)
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