In the USA, I assume you mean? It's long, long, long, loooong past time for single payer. "Health care reform" is a substantial improvement, but it's not enough.
The health care delivery system is broken in the U.S. and was only very partially fixed by the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, many years ago a system was set up allowing health insurance companies and their executives (often with massive multi-million dollar salaries) to profit from health care delivery and siphon money away from the actual delivery of health care services. A single-payer system that cuts private health insurance out of the deal would be better for the consumer, but private health insurance is now so imbedded in the system (and their lobbyists so powerful) that cutting them out is unlikely to ever happen. The ACA can be improved, and likely will be, but personally, I'd prefer a single-payer government-run system--just don't think it will happen.
Our policies are not actually "bad." They, in fact, cover quite a bit and now even are required to cover pre-existing conditions and dependents up thru age 26. They just are expensive as hell and often carry very high deductibles, especially for those who are not part of a group and buy individual policies. Coverage is quite comprehensive in most cases and better now under the ACA which requires more basic standards. The issue is cost, not quality of coverage.
It's expensive for a lot of Americans, especially those who don't make a lot to begin with. For example, I know a few students who aren't eligible for coverage under their parents' plans, so they have to pay quite a bit every month for coverage.
1) People are deprived of basic, essential health care. Many people can't afford care until the issue becomes an emergency. I had an online friend who was saved from blindness only because he was laid off, so that the basic, simple, well-known surgery that he previously couldn't afford was now covered by the insurance that went along with his unemployment. The overall system would rather have him be blind and with permanently reduced earning potential, than just pay for the bleeping surgery. 2) Emergency care can drain an individual's life savings in days. In part, I see the health care system (at least before recent reform) as a structure that ensures that the poor will remain poor. The few that escape poverty by not having medical issues will be replaced by the middle-class that are sent into poverty by medical issues.
I don't know what you're trying to find out here. I think it would be better if you just told us, instead of dripping out the questions one by one.
My current thesis: the American system in general is based on greatness through inequality. If you look at most of the "great" achievements of the past, they come from societies with a small group of wealthy, powerful people dominating a large group of horribly impoverished slaves or near-slaves. The pyramids are a clear example, but the great cathedrals, most of the art of the Renaissance, etc. - all built for the pleasure of the mighty on the backs of the poor. Industrialization and technology was supposed to let us escape from this trap, but it doesn't seem to be working. So the US medical system has some of the greatest achievements in the medical world--really exciting discoveries, top-notch care, etc. But all of this greatness comes at the expense of the poor, who have truly crappy medical care. So the US spends significantly more than any other country, per capita, on health care, but this isn't reflected in their life expectancy numbers or the health of most of their citizens. For the rest of the world, it's a fairly good deal. We can let the US make all the discoveries and then take advantage of them for our own health care. But for the American people? I honestly have no idea why they put up with it.
That's what I'm trying to find. What does the public think about it and does it cater for rare diseases.
However, "America" refers to more than one continent and several countries, with multiple health care systems. Which country or countries are you asking about? Also, you're asking about "insurance", which is only one part of a health care system. In the USA it's sadly central to the system, as a mechanism that provides care for many and deprives many others of care. I believe that in some countries with more-sane systems, insurance provides an upgrade, but is not required for basic care.
Probably because every attempt to reform the system gets 'SOCIALISM' screamed at it, and folks jump onto their high horses and gallop off in all directions.
There's a continent (well, two) but the USA is never called "the continent". That would be weird and inaccurate.
I have to say that I must fit in a demographic that is health care friendly in the United States. For a person my age, making little money on a part-time job, but going to school full-time, I receive Medicaid, and I generally have zero co-pay for my doctor's visits and for my generic medicine. So at this point in my life I can't complain, compared to before the Affordable Care Act, I had to go to clinics that were income based, and I had to pay the $4 co-pay on all the generic medicines I took, and many times I couldn't take the medicines that my doctors wanted to prescribe, because there wasn't a generic form of them. I also didn't have dental or vision coverage, and thus now my teeth are all fucked up. I just wish the Affordable Care Act had been around sooner, and I would have been able to see a dentist sooner to get my problems taken care of, but now the damage is irreversible. So now I'm left with the only option of getting all my teeth pulled and paying $700 or so out of pocket to get dentures. That wouldn't be as much of a problem if it wasn't the fact of having to wait three months after having all my teeth pulled before I can get fitted for the dentures, because you have to wait for the swelling to go down. Who wants to go three months without teeth? You look like a goof, and then you can't really eat any 'solid' foods! So I have to say that the Affordable Care Act has been a blessing for me, and I'm finally seeing some of the dividends of all the tax money I paid in over the years, so I hope some of the people out there aren't going to look down on me like I'm some leach to society and the system, I worked most of my life, and I'm still working now and going to school full-time to become a better part of society. That's just my point of view.
I just got healthcare through my job for the first time since I was on university healthcare several years ago. Like many people in their 20s I did not think healthcare was necessary because I was invincible. Now that I have accumulated several health issues I'm grateful. But I'm also amazed at how many tests they can run on so many things. I never knew. It's all being paid for now. What doctors know and can do is blowing my mind. I was sort of under a rock. Most Americans probably have no idea the extent to which the medical professions can address an enormous array of issues. We ooh and aah over technology like phones and tablets and computers, but don't realize what else has been developed. I pee or squeeze some blood into a container and they can perform magic. I'm very happy I have healthcare now. But the paperwork stuff is annoying. I'm still trying to figure out how to electronically submit a claim because I paid out of pocket last week, not having my insurance card on me. I've called several numbers and have had no questions answered. The website isn't too helpful either. But I'd rather deal with that stuff than suffer from the excruciating problems I'm suffering. Total tangent, but I've come to think that the reason so many poor white people support Trump right now is because these are the shadow class of people that social justice fanatics have forgotten. Poor white people lack access to healthcare and education, suffering for their entire lifetimes, and now see Drumpf as a savior who will give them what they deserve, at the expense of all kinds of scapegoated groups. We're reaping what such extreme inequalities have sown for a long time, here. If everybody had free healthcare here, I don't think anybody would be miserable enough to see Trump as a beacon of light. If we had free college here, there's no way anybody would be stupid enough to support him. Tangent over.
I know what you mean about eating mush after getting all your teeth pulled. That happened to my husband back in November, because he had mouth cancer. He didn't have very many good teeth left, so losing them wasn't as traumatic as it might have been. Fortunately the surgery removed all the cancer and didn't leave him disfigured, so he was a VERY lucky guy. But he's not allowed to get fitted for dentures till the surgery site has completely settled. Because it was a lot more than just getting teeth pulled, his wait will be longer than three months—they're talking nine months. However, once it's all over, he'll have a full set of teeth, which he's not had for many many years. And no more dentist treatments either. So yeah, it'll be an awkward three months. (Buy a blender. Definitely.) But after that, you'll be set for life. Good luck. Dentures happen to lots and lots of people. You'll have a dazzling smile and be able to eat good stuff again. And no toothaches. I'm glad you're finally getting medical care, and sorry you had to spend so many years with minimal care because of affordability. I know that for many years when I still lived in the States I was unable to afford insurance (my jobs were pretty low-paid) and just had to wing it. Fortunately the one time I did need medical care, my employer had paid for insurance for me, so again I lucked out. But it was always a gamble.
