ChancellorArmadillo408
Review my 4-minute protest speech about why our healthcare system…
Review my 4-minute protest speech about why our healthcare system needs to change. I want to make sure it makes sense and flows together, especially my two points.
“The HealthCare System Needs to change
Hook: Hello today I will be talking to you about our disappointing healthcare system costing working people of this great nation thousands of dollars and, in the process, discriminating toward different ethnic groups by misdiagnosing them and subscribing them to unnecessary drugs and overcharging them. Imagine a country spending $4.7 trillion on healthcare, yet its citizens do not enjoy better health outcomes than those in countries spending half as much. This is the reality of the United States in 2023, According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
Reason to Listen: This situation directly impacts each one of us. With healthcare costs projected to rise to $7.2 trillion by 2031, outpacing economic growth, we all face the burden of increased expenses, from prescription drugs to insurance premiums, affecting our finances and our nation’s financial stability.
Thesis: As a leader in medical innovation, the U.S. healthcare system still struggles with providing affordable, quality care for all, significantly impacting low-income groups and people of color. Excessive spending fails to meet basic needs and disproportionately burdens the vulnerable. In my speech today, I will address the healthcare challenges people face, particularly those from ethnic backgrounds. These challenges are due to overbooking by healthcare providers, high drug prices, lack of universal coverage, and disparities in treatment. We will delve into the essential reforms required to improve healthcare, making it a fundamental human right that focuses on accessibility, cost control, equity, and quality, rather than profit.
First Point:
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation article, High costs are an absolute burden for many American families when affording health care. Nearly half of U.S. adults say it is difficult to afford health care costs. Additionally, about 40% report delaying or going without medical care in the last year due to costs, with dental care being the service most commonly put off. For Americans 65 and over who rely on Medicare, paying for uncovered services like dental, vision, and hearing is incredibly challenging. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that nearly a quarter of adults say their household has not filled a prescription or skipped doses because of unaffordable drug prices in the past year. With such a substantial share struggling under the weight of medical expenses, it is clear that healthcare affordability represents a significant hole in the finances and well-being of far too many individuals and families. Concrete policy solutions are needed to ease this widespread burden.
Second point:
The data from Deloitte’s insights reveals disturbing disparities in access to quality health care based on race, ethnicity, income level, and geographic location. Marginalized communities suffer worse health outcomes because of unequal treatment and barriers to care. For example, Black adults are 60% more likely than White adults to be diagnosed with diabetes and two to three times more likely to experience complications. One’s zip code should not determine if one lives a long and healthy life, yet life expectancy can vary by over a decade between neighborhoods just miles apart. These unjust differences are morally outrageous and financially wasteful, costing our health system over $300 billion annually. To make a more equitable system, we must expand insurance coverage, address social determinants of health, increase the diversity of the health workforce, and ensure underserved communities can access the latest medical advances. The goal must be quality care for all, not just the privileged few. Because when we lift those furthest behind, we all rise to a healthier future.
Conclusion:
America spends more on healthcare than any country, yet fails to deliver quality, affordable care for all. With costs projected to keep skyrocketing, everyday people suffer especially vulnerable groups like low-income families and minorities. Overbooked doctors, inflated drug prices, treatment biases – the profit-driven system is broken.
Healthcare is a human right for everyone, not a privilege for the few. We desperately need reforms to control costs, provide universal coverage, and ensure equitable care. I urge leaders and citizens alike to demand changes that put people first. Join grassroots efforts, contact lawmakers, and speak out online. The health of our nation is at stake. We can fix this unjust system and make healthcare affordable and accessible for all. The time for change is now – before costs crush families and more lives are lost to corporate greed. We must unite and heal healthcare.
Citation:
Why the American Healthcare System Underperforms. (n.d.). pgpf.org. https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2023/07/why-the-american-healthcare-system-underperforms
Americans’ Challenges with Health Care Costs | KFF. (2022, July 14). KFF. https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/
Bhatt, J., Gerhardt, W., Maaa, A. D. F., Batra, N., Dhar, A., & Maaa, B. R. A. (2023, September 20). US health care can’t afford health inequities. Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/economic-cost-of-health-disparities.html
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