The Sorry State of American Healthcare
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This isn’t just a personal opinion; it is the finding of a deep survey of the state of American Health just released by Gallup and West Health.
On all the key measures, Americans graded the health system much more heavily as poor or failing than excellent. 75% gave a D or F to the system on the cost of care:
The negativity about health among Americans spans race, gender, and economic prosperity.
The issues aren’t don’t just hit the pocketbook; they affect whether and when Americans reach out for healthcare. 25% of Americans, a shocking number, have avoided getting healthcare for economic reasons during the past three months:
And another shocking number: 5% of American adults reported having a family member or close friend die because of inability to afford needed care. This number was nearly twice as high for Black or Hispanic adults.
What should be done about the dangerous state of American healthcare? In a fractured political environment, a majority across the political spectrum see a core role for the federal government in dealing with this issue:
As dark as the current American healthcare situation is, we feel hope. Many of our portfolio companies have the power to turn this situation around. They increase prevention, reduce or eliminate the effects of dread diseases, increase overall health, deliver new modes for paying for healthcare, and produce new, lower-cost treatments. And overall, increase the agency individuals have for managing their own health.
Big problems demand big solutions, and that is what we are looking for as venture investors.
By Managing Partner Mike Edelhart
@MikeEdelhart
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