Universal Healthcare

The uphill struggle to battle cancer debilitates millions of people around the world. In 2020, author Roosa Tikkanen, a former research associate at The Common Health Fund, found that 8.6% of cancer patients were unable to pay the insurance to cover medical treatments and combat the disease. Almost a tenth of the American population fails to meet the financial costs of treatments, restricting them from the best healthcare options. For every one hundred people, ten live without insurance. This financial vulnerability is dangerous to the future health of these individuals, exposing them to higher risks of cancerous death or prolonged treatment time.

One’s wealth should not dictate their chance of survival.

Unlike the U.S., many foreign countries supply their citizens with free and universal healthcare. Tikkanen reports that countries worldwide offer free healthcare starting with our neighbor, Canada, and reaching as far as Australia. Many foreign countries provide free healthcare for their citizens; no matter their financial status or location.

So why is America refusing to provide universal beneficial treatment?

My aunt was a cancer patient in Turkey. Due to their free healthcare, she was able to receive the best treatment options without focusing on the bills. Unfortunately, many Americans cannot relate to her situation due to the expensive insurance premiums. If my aunt had lived in the States, a lot less assistance would be offered for her healthcare journey.

Deaths caused by cancer and other illnesses spike when people cannot pay for efficient treatments. The American Cancer Society produces an annual prediction of cases and deaths attributed to cancer. They base this estimate on past statistics and variables. In January of 2023 the American Cancer Society predicted the estimates for the amount of cancer cases and deaths that year. Doctor Rebecca L. Slegal found that “[i]n 2023, 1,958,310 new cancer cases and 609,820 cancer deaths are projected to occur in the United States.” About 10% of those cases do not have insurance, causing the death rate to rise. Increased chances of death occur due to the inability to receive essential health treatments.

The major costs of a cancer diagnosis and treatment are hospitalization, clinic visits, medicines, tests, surgeries and procedures, home health services, and services of doctors and other professionals. Even if the government pays for the surgery and other treatments, many other expenses remain unpaid. Due to expensive treatments, the unfairness of the healthcare system makes it hard for many people to receive healthcare.

In the United States, many innocent cancer patients cannot receive the essential benefits for their health and survival. Free healthcare or financial aid can fix this issue by offering new treatments, which provide higher chances of survival. Without them, many innocent people will lose their lives or have a shortened lifespan due to inadequate healthcare and medical help.
Although it might be impossible to save every patient’s life, we can still give them the chance they deserve by learning more about this issue and spreading the word. Any amount of donations help as well as spreading kindness to those battling cancer. Making a patient’s life more joyful, brighter, and carefree is sometimes the best help you can give.