What the US health care system assumes about you | Mitchell Katz

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The US health care system assumes many things about patients: that they can take off from work in the middle of the day, speak English, have a working telephone and a steady supply of food. Because of that, it's failing many of those who are most in need, says Mitchell Katz, CEO of the largest public health care system in the US. In this eye-opening talk, he shares stories of the challenges low-income patients face — and how we can build a better system for all.

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40 Comments on What the US health care system assumes about you | Mitchell Katz

  1. What they assume is that they can profit off our misery. That we all are just a means to make them tons of money while giving us substandard care compared to the rest of the developed world. Cause us to file for bankruptcy just so we don’t die.

    • Clearly they assume correctly. Americans are FAR more concerned with absence of communism and of course the profitability of your sabbatean frankist government and global corporations ahead of your own children’s health and well being. I’m actually chocked this video doesn’t have at least 50% dislikes because it’s showing care about people instead of money.

    • @Patrick NEZ In the 70’s the school system was passing kids out of 7th, 8th and 9th grade just to get them out! I know. I wasn’t one of them, but I quit and received my GED a mere 5 years later,I had to travel and work and see a bit of the US first. Some college. Lots of years of marriage. Hard work.

    • That’s why the US needs someone like Bernie Sanders. Vote for him. Liz Warren isn’t the one and won’t do it. So won’t Yang, Marrianne and Gabbard. The rest are jokes and not even left

  2. I was rear-ended. Since then I’ve been through 13 major surgeries and denied care 5 times. It’s been so traumatizing that I’m not sure I will ever recover. Just the mere thought of having to suffer so much like that triggers me and puts me back in my dark place. This system broke me in so many ways.

    • Been 2 guys who weren’t bought in ALL of American history. Lincoln and JFK and look what happened to them. The death cult sabbathean frankism has been infiltrating and manipulating every single government structure and global laws and agreements we have ALL over the world especially in the largest most powerful countries for hundreds of years.
      The world is literally upside down. All the structures and laws are protecting the royalists from us “peasants” and cattle as they view us.

    • You know what they say. The best thing a US corporation can buy, is a politician. You see… In the US. Instead of addressing the huge problems with corruption, they simply made it legal. Then there is no “corruption” Problem solved.

  3. The health care system assumes you have a great insurance plan and alot of money. The problems start when you don’t have both !

    • So true: When you try to make an appointment with a doctor the receptionist immediately asks what insurance you have. If you only have medicaid or medicare they push you ahead on the calendar for a month or two, even if your need is urgent and you are getting worse and in pain. If you need help right away they tell you to call 911 or go to the ER. But if you have full coverage you get an appointment right away. How many of you have experienced this treatment?

  4. Someone once said…the fastest way to die is to go see an American Dr. Food for thought from a chronically ill person living in poverty with suicidal tendencies who has had hundreds of dr visits.

  5. I just enrolled for my MA degree last night. This talk really opened my eyes to the needs of those I’ll be serving. Thank you for this invaluable lesson.

  6. The profit-driven US health care system prioritizes sickness over the actual maintenance and cultivation of health.

    The rapacious US health care industry assumes everyone wants (and likes) private insurance instead of quality of care.

    This TED talk just adds more justification for the current US health care system to move over to a single payer program that finally guarantees health care to every individual as a right, not a privilege.

  7. I hear people mocking our so-called (and inaccurately so) _”SOCIALIST”_ healthcare system (it’s nationalised – funded by citizens and free at the point of service, that is NOT even remotely connected to socialism) here in the UK, but it negates many of these abhorrent indignities, medical debt, bankruptcy etc… how on earth are you supposed to recover from a serious illness when you’re in a state of extreme stress and anxiety because you’re worried about making your family homeless because you were unlucky and got a disease? Private insurance companies cause havoc here managing car insurance, all their unfair, dishonest, law-bending behavior, trickery, dishonesty, bullying, manipulation to avoid their obligations… greed and profits should not be part of a healthcare system, it’s a huge conflict of interest between corporations and patients, hence a 3rd party (gov body needs to manage it – that should be as clear as day)…. totally immoral and 3rd world regressive in my opinion, you guys are the chaps with the messed up system, not us.

  8. This is such an important topic to discuss and highlight, especially to health employees. We often get consumed in our work and easily frustrated about day to day things within out facilities. we need to remind ourselves to keep the mindset, discussed by Dr.KAtz ,with every single patient and make sure they leave our facilities, comfortable with the help they received , will make worlds of differences to their health outcomes. as healthcare employees , other than treat , we need to educated our patients , in order to help them make the best decisions.

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