Preventive measures are the most important as they help people to be healthy, rather than tackling the effects of the disease. Usually, these measures are quite simple, such as a healthy diet, sports, and some medications that support the strengths of a body. Nevertheless, not all citizens can afford this simple care, and insurance companies do not provide payment for it. Consequently, the idea of the “Escape Fire” is that the US medical system is a “disease care” but not “health care” since people do not have the means to remain healthy but only react to disease.
Public and private health care systems should provide measures to maintain and protect the health of citizens. However, as the authors of the film “Escape Fire” note, the American healthcare system does not try to prevent the development of chronic diseases but only pays for the treatment of severe illnesses and critical conditions (Heineman & Froemke, 2012). For example, instead of paying for healthy diet consultation for people with obesity and diabetes, an insurance company would better cover the treatment of a heart attack or limb amputation resulting from an improper diet. The same situation applies to medicines that are not vital, such as vitamins, but support human health. In 2015, about 3 percent of the nation’s total health care expenditures only was allocated to preventive care (Sumners, 2017). Thus, it is worth noting that the initial plans of the government give preference to treatment, which leads to an increase in funding every year. However, if people could be able to prevent the disease instead of combating its consequences, the state would need less money due to lower levels of chronic diseases.
Therefore, Americans have a “disease system” but not a “health care system” because they need to provide themselves with preventive means, while insurance companies pay money only for the grave consequences of illness or injury. This situation reflects the quality of the medical system, in which it is easier for people to postpone a visit to the doctor until the last moment to save money. However, this situation can be changed by investing more in preventive medicine to get a nation with a lower percentage of morbidity over the years.
References
Heineman, M., & Froemke, S. (2012). Escape fire: The fight to rescue American healthcare. Roadside Attractions.
Sumners, K. (2017). Curing our ‘sick care’ system. Vital Record. Web.