The tragedy of American healthcare

Some months ago, a man I know through my work at National Student Partnerships threw himself off of a 300-foot cliff. Amazingly, he survived and is now recovering. The man has a history of bi-polar disorder and he was attempting to commit suicide. I just found out that he was on medication, but he was unemployed and could no longer afford healthcare. Without healthcare, he could no long afford the medication.

In our healthcare system, it is almost impossible to buy insurance alone. If you are not in some sort of pool, such as one you get if you an employer, the prices are astronomical. The problem is especially bad if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Because of the way our system is set up Paul Hammer almost lost his life and society has had to pay far more in medical costs. This is a tragic and insane way to run a healthcare system, and it needs to be fixed.