Inequality in the United States Healthcare System

Although the United States (US) has been rated highly in the United Nations Human Development Index, the shining health indicators of the general population do not reflect the great disparity in the health of certain subpopulations. Absolute health indicators often make the suffering of the vulnerable, especially those living in the wealthiest nation, invisible to the world. In this paper, I will demonstrate why the US private-public healthcare system should not be used as a model for other countries as it exacerbates the inequality in access to care and health status between the haves and the have-nots. Although the United States (US) has been rated highly in the United Nations Human Development Index, the shining health indicators of the general population do not reflect the great disparity in the health of certain subpopulations. Absolute health indicators often make the suffering of the vulnerable, especially those living in the wealthiest nation, invisible to the world. In this paper, I will demonstrate why the US private-public healthcare system should not be used as a model for other countries as it exacerbates the inequality in access to care and health status between the haves and the have-nots. Part V: I will analyze how the US Healthcare system through a mostly private insurance model is exacerbating these health inequalities.