The film selected for this report is Fix It - Healthcare at the Tipping Point , which is a documentary that explores the issue of health care costs within the United States. The film examines the effect of cost from the perspective that the costs of care in the country have been on a steady rise in the last decade, which has had a significant impact on medical insurance. One of the critical aspects that have been highlighted from the film is the fact that premiums paid for medical insurance have doubled. Currently, an average family of four persons is expected to pay an insurance cover of $23,000 irrespective of the fact that this only caters for primary care where most of the families are not in a position to afford emergency medical care.
The film delves further into trying to examine how the issue of health care costs may have been ignored for such a long time with due consideration of the impacts that it is having on the American population. The irony of the issue is expressed by the fact that a majority of minimum wage workers work full time for 12 months but still find it hard to afford health care benefits arising from medical insurance. The issue is compounded by the fact that it does not only affect a specific group of persons within the society, instead, affecting the entire population including senior citizens, young and vital members of the workforce, and business owners equally. Consequently, this highlights the extent to which the federal government within the United States is failing its people in its role towards ensuring that it institutes policy frameworks that would guarantee access to affordable care.
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In trying to highlight the extent to which this has become a vital issue of concern for the American people, the film examines multiple viewpoints from different segments of the American population, which highlights the extent of the problem as it relates to the United States. One of the population segments that has been highlighted as part of the film is people within the bracket of between 50 and 64 years, who are far less likely to have medical insurance. That is an issue brought about by the fact that majority of the employers often find this category of employees as being expensive; thus, making it less likely for employers to consider this category of employees for a position in the businesses and companies. Consequently, this means that a significant number of people find it hard in trying to find affordable medical insurance that would accommodate their health needs and wants.
Another critical area of discussion that has been considered as part of this film is the fact that approximately 60% of the people filing for bankruptcy today attribute this to an increase in medical expenses. The issue is that a majority of these people pay very high premiums for medical insurance but encounter high out-of-pocket expenses that are paid above the payments by the insurance companies, which they cannot afford. The film highlights a dysfunctional health care system within the United States that is failing in its bid towards ensuring that it protects the American people from the rising costs of care. Instead, the system is exposing the people to manipulation by the different stakeholders resulting in a situation where a majority of the people often consider the idea of being sick very expensive. The film highlights a critical issue that the federal government ought to explore in trying to ease the burden the people are experiencing due to harsh economic conditions.
Relating to Class Material
An analysis of the film indicates that it relates to several key topics covered as part of the class, which are essential to examine and highlight as part of trying to understand how the issue connects to the course. Firstly, the film relates to the class material touching on an income gap between the wealthiest and most deprived 20% of the world population, specifically touching on the United States. From the film, one of the critical issues that have been highlighted is the fact that a majority of minimum wage workers in the United States find themselves in s situation where they are not able to afford medical insurance to cover their health care needs. However, this is not the case for the wealthy population in the country, which can afford health insurance covers that guarantee the best quality of health care services. That builds on the understanding that indeed there exists a significant income gap between the populations living within the United States, which affects the country's health system.
Secondly, the film also connects to the class material on social mobility. Social mobility is seen as the ability for people, households, and families to move from one social category or strata to another. The movement is attributed to the fact that indeed the people can afford their basic needs, which serves as a guarantee that they would be able to achieve more significant successes in life. The film seems to contradict the idea of movement between social categories, as it highlights that a majority of the people find it challenging to afford quality care, which is one of the critical determinants of whether one would move. The connection of the film to social mobility can also be seen from the fact that it highlights the fact that a significant number of bankruptcy cases can be attributed to the inability to afford health care.
