We asked readers on social media and in our weekly newsletter to share their thoughts about the current state of healthcare in the United States and how it serves them. Here’s what they expressed.
How do you feel about healthcare in the United States?
“I feel that the privatization of healthcare within such a capitalist society is one of our country’s biggest failures. If Covid, cancer, AIDS, and diabetes don’t target a tax bracket, then why should your paycheck determine the level of care you receive? Like any other industry, an emphasis is put on profit and growth first. And don’t get me started on big pharma!”
—Oscar J., via social media
“Healthcare in the United States is broken. It is hard for people to navigate, and the healthcare professionals do not make it easy. We talk a different language and use words and terminology a regular person would not understand. I tell people you don’t know the questions to ask if you just don’t know. People do not know where to turn next or who to call next at certain times when, say, risk management should be involved. I feel everyone should always have someone with them to take notes and/or record the visit. People in the heat of the moment miss so much as information is being spewed at them. I recommend an advocate or someone always go with the person to appointments.”
—Anonymous, via newsletter
It is frustrating how much time it takes to get an appointment with a doctor. I saw a new cardiologist about a year ago who I liked, and who suggested we have a follow-up appointment in a year. In mid-January 2025 I called for an appointment and was told the doctor’s next available appointment was in February. 2026. Thirteen months away. I’m 73. I hope I can live that long. Something has to be done to alleviate the shortage in doctors.
—Anonymous, via email
“I think we have a lot of talented healthcare professionals, but one area with opportunity for improvement would be preventative care. Reducing cost
or improving coverage and access to technology with early detection abilities would be paramount for so many people. For example, there could be affordable body scans to screen for disease available to all people so they can take preventative measures based on their personalized assessment of health risks.”
—Beth Comer, Westlake, Ohio
“Most of our doctors are great and really care about their patients. But overall, I’m not sure if the hospitals or heads of hospitals are all about making money, and the doctors are overworked because they won’t hire more people and probably don’t pay for the hours worked. I can’t put my finger on it, but I noticed a change which I can’t identify from a few years ago to today. The doctors are wonderful, but suddenly you’re rushed over for other tests and don’t get your shots or paperwork to take home. That never happened a few years ago.”
—Anonymous, via newsletter
“It’s both prohibitively expensive and inaccessible. No one I know can find a new primary care doctor in their network who is accepting new patients within the next three months — myself included.”
—Meena Thiruvengadam, Founder of TravelWithMeena.com
“I think healthcare is very bad now. I always say we need to take care of ourselves because there is no one to take care of us. A lot has been taken away from the doctors. They used to have their own practice with their patients that they knew and took care of. Now the corporations employ the doctors, dictate to them how many patients they can see or should see in one day to make money, and how long they can spend with them. They barely listen to you because they have to type into the computer while you are there. They have no time after because they have their next patient. So in turn, they forget to order your test, medication, or correct/update diagnosis. It is very discouraging, especially when you remember how much better things used to be. A lot of us feel that money is the bottom line now.”
—Margie Brandt, Vernon Hills, Illinois
