Healthcare is always an emotional subject in the United States, as Americans have very polarized opinions on the topic. They either believe that everyone should have ready access to free healthcare for the good of all or they don’t want to change a thing because they believe that the current system is an expression of the free market at work.
To many, it seems logical that all Americans should have access to free healthcare instead of having to struggle in the “pay to live” system that currently exists. And the emotional stories that people have been sharing about how the current model wrecks their lives make you realize just how big the need for change really is.
One of the people advocating for change is teacher, writer, and entrepreneur Brittany Alaine who opened up about her father’s fight against cancer, the inhumane healthcare system, and the massive financial pressure her entire family was under. You’ll find Brittany’s riveting TikTok videos where she shares the full story below.
Brittany shared how inhumane the US healthcare system was when her father got cancer
You can watch Brittany's full TikTok video here. A note of warning, it hits very hard, emotionally
The video creator also touched upon how medical debt can pass on to your family members after you pass away, depending on the laws of the state where you live.
That means that a portion of Americans don’t just have to worry about bankrupting themselves just to pay their medical bills—they also have to worry about their relatives’ financial future if things turn out very badly. And that’s all types of messed up because it forces some folks to consider whether they should try to pay for life-saving treatment and medication in the first place.
American Brittany decided to leave the United States several years ago and pursued her dream of traveling the world. After a journey around the globe, she’s finally settled down in Europe.
“After twenty-three countries, and a lifetime of experiences later, I now live in the countryside of Northern Germany with my husband, beagle, and a brood of chickens. It's my goal to inspire you to figure out what you want to do in this world. Then do it!” Brittany writes on her website.
Germany, where she’s settled down, has a dual public-private healthcare system. The country provides free “medically necessary” public healthcare that’s funded by social security contributions. However, German citizens must also have either state or private health insurance that covers hospital and outpatient medical treatment and pregnancy.
In another video, Brittany also explained how medical debt can be passed down and ruin a family's future
In an earlier interview, Arizona-based healthcare professional, Dr. Andrew Carroll, told Bored Panda about why the US system is structured as it is. There are clear financial incentives for companies to keep the current model. A model that sees around a quarter of all money wasted due to administrative complexity.
“It will be very difficult to reduce the administrative costs without overhauling the payment system altogether," Dr. Carroll said who said that healthcare insurance providers don’t have American patients’ best interests at heart.
“Unfortunately, these payers tend not to have altruistic intentions towards their members. They cater to the advantage of the employers paying for the benefits, who want to try and spend the least amount of money they can,” he said. “Employers that pay for benefits will need to demand more of the companies providing the benefits or patients will need to file class-action lawsuits to demand that benefits due to them are not unduly restricted, as they are today."
Here is how some people have been reacting to the TikTok creator's emotional and candid videos
We know it’s a sensitive topic, dear Pandas, but we’d like to hear your experiences with the healthcare system where you live and if you think that the free model works. And if you’re from the US, we’d like to hear your opinion on the system and how you’d go about improving it. Share your thoughts below.