Healthcare Services
The Healthcare sector is one of the most critical industries in any community. All other aspects of the community revolve around the well-being of the citizens. For example, for an economy to become fully functional, the citizens have to be in a good state of health. Unhealthy individuals are less likely to be productive. Hence the economy faces negative development.
However, the costs required for health services may be overwhelming for ordinary citizens that go to hospitals. In many cases, the services are unaffordable for the general public, and they end up not getting the essential services. Therefore, the government needs to come with a scheme that will fund hospitals to enable them to take care of the citizens. These costs will allow individuals to get access to all medical facilities at the expense of the government.
This initiative is particularly beneficial to the low-income population. Medical bills are often high, and leave these people unable to raise enough funds to cater for the hospital charges. The people deserve the affordability of medical services to help them enjoy the essential commodity. The government owes this to them because they pay their taxes regularly.
In the current setting, the underprivileged in the society have limited access to a medical facility. On the other hand, the rich enjoy the luxuries of life and still get the best quality of healthcare services that they may not require. Most high-profile hospitals are located in major cities where the elite society live. These individuals live comfortable lives and rarely get sick. Therefore, they do not need these facilities as much as their counterparts in less developed areas.
The people in rural or peri-urban areas lead stressful lives. They struggle to put food on the table, and sometimes they end up sleeping hungry. Consequently, they do not get all the nutrients that their bodies may require for proper functioning. The result is that their immunity becomes weaker, and they become prone to diseases. These diseases require prompt action to prevent the condition from getting worse.
However, the hospitals in the locality may not have the required equipment to handle the problem adequately. Therefore, these individuals may have to travel long distances to the city in search of medical attention. They end up spending much more than they had budgeted for. Diseases come without warning, and middle to low-class families rarely have funds set aside to cater for such emergencies.
In the wake of this realization, the government needs to make it their priority to make healthcare services available to every citizen in the country, regardless of their race or status. This initiative should also fund hospitals to help the hospitals upgrade the quality of their services, irrespective of the hospital’s location. This funding would allow hospitals to obtain the services of highly qualified personnel to take care of patients in the hospital.
Once the workers receive a regular payment, they will dedicate their efforts to providing service to the patients. Prompt payment boosts the morale of employees and makes them more enthusiastic about performing their work.
Funding for hospitals all over the country also allows the facilities to obtain the necessary equipment required to handle different cases. Patients often have various health concerns, and some may require specialized treatment. Often, many hospitals do not have the necessary equipment needed to manage such conditions. Therefore, they refer these cases to other institutions that are more advanced. This activity poses significant health risks to the patient because they may die before reaching the other facility. It is necessary to fund hospitals so that they can deal with emergency cases without resorting to referring them to other hospitals. Prompt action could be the key to saving the lives of sick individuals.
Racism in Health Care
Health care is an essential part of life, and nobody should miss out on such an essential commodity. However, the issue of racial segregation has affected many individuals from ethnicities considered to be minority groups. Studies indicate that the number of African-Americans that lack insurance coverage is significantly higher than their White counterparts. This discrimination is particularly evident in issues regarding mental health. Mental health issues may affect anyone in society. The affected individuals require professional help to help them get over the awkward phase.
However, studies indicate that only 53% of African-Americans that suffered from mental health issues had received medical attention. In contrast, 73% of Whites suffering from psychological health-related issues received mental health care in 2011. Further studies three years later indicate that 83.6% of psychologists were White. These findings could explain the different figures between the two ethnic groups. This is an issue of great concern because acts of discrimination could paralyze the country’s development.
These findings are worrying because they could interfere with the state of tranquility within the nation. Ethnic differences should not be reasons for unequal treatment in any sector. These acts of discrimination may affect the relations between members from different ethnic groups. Consequently, these people would be incapable of working together for the more significant benefit of the nation. Therefore, this is an issue that requires immediate attention. The positive growth of the country in any given area relies heavily on the successful implementation of these policies.
The congress members would be instrumental in spearheading policy changes that would restore equality in the health setting. These issues affect American citizens of different classes and races. It is essential for congress members to implement policies that would promote equality among the members of society.