Why is it so difficult to change the healthcare system in the US?

Asked by: Rodrigo VonRueden  |  Last update: October 12, 2025
Score: 5/5 (16 votes)

They argue that the fragmented and federated political system in the United States gives enormous power to focused interest groups, which in turn inhibits large-scale change like health reform, even if such change were favored by a majority.

Why is the U.S. health care system so complicated?

There Is A Lot of Money Involved

The U.S. spends over $3 trillion a year on healthcare, which accounts for nearly 18% of the nation's GDP. With that much money involved, it's impossible to simplify the system without shifting or eliminating some of those expenditures.

What is one reason why health care reform so difficult in the United States?

The first problem faced by reform is responding to basic health needs, which often do not directly translate to financial demand, due in large part to poverty [6]. Therefore, policy implementation carries a risk of exacerbating inequality.

Why is change in healthcare hard?

The process of change is an inevitable issue in healthcare, so understanding the benefits of change for patients is most likely to be successful when caregivers have the opportunity to influence change. Making changes can be challenging because they conflict with basic human needs for a sustainable environment [41].

How can the U.S. healthcare system be improved?

The government and health care payers need to consistently reevaluate reimbursement schedules, increase primary care, lower specialty care, shift to alternative payment models, initiate pay-for-performance measures, and continue to focus more on targeting high-risk, high-cost patients for cost-effective care management ...

The real reason American health care is so expensive

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Why is healthcare a big issue in the US?

Affordability remains the top reason why some Americans do not sign up for health coverage, while high out-of-pocket costs lead nearly half of working-age adults to skip or delay getting needed care.

What are some reasons it is difficult to change health policy in the US?

Many policy votes will simply be ignored by constituents; others will be observed but play little or no role in swaying voters; and still others will become major campaign issues. Because legislators are risk averse, increases in the scope of possible outcomes leads them to be less willing to support change.

Why is change so hard for us?

The challenge with changes comes from our tendency to see them as problems rather than opportunities for learning and growth. Most people are afraid of changing their routines because they have either had a tough time adapting in the past or have witnessed the difficulties others have had.

What are the barriers to making changes in healthcare?

When healthcare and hospital leadership is transient, it's difficult for long-term change to take place.
  • Competing Demands. It's rare for hospitals or healthcare systems to work toward a single change at any point in time. ...
  • Scarce Resources. ...
  • Technical Issues. ...
  • Staff Buy-in.

Why is US healthcare so bad compared to other countries?

Poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, gun violence, and socioeconomic inequality in the United States all make it harder for the U.S. healthcare system to compete with other high-income countries.

What is the #1 driving force behind healthcare reform?

In fact, the driving force currently promoting change in the health system is cost containment, and the greatest efforts being exerted in this regard are in those areas where the most money is being spent. Research suggests that increased health spending does not necessarily equate with improved healthcare.

What are some of the obstacles to healthcare reform?

These challenges are, in short, the issues of access, quality, and cost. Access to health care is the first major challenge that health-care reform must address.

How to change the health care system?

Consider the following five evidence-based approaches to improving access to health care.
  1. Expand Insurance to Cover Health Care Costs. ...
  2. Extend Telehealth Services. ...
  3. Invest in Mobile Clinics. ...
  4. Educate the Public About Multiple Health Care Sites. ...
  5. Improve Cultural Responsiveness.

Why is the US ranked so low in healthcare?

The equity score reflects how income influences access to and patients' experience with health care. Australia and Germany rank highest. The United States and New Zealand rank last because low income affects access to care, and patients' racial or ethnic backgrounds can lead to unfair treatment, the report showed.

What are the examples of system failure in healthcare?

Among the problems that commonly occur during the course of providing healthcare are adverse drug events and improper transfusions, surgical injuries and wrong-site surgery, suicides, restraint-related injuries or death, falls, burns, pressure ulcers, and mistaken patient identities.

Why is it so hard for most of us all of us to accept change?

Change is hard because we're forced to do something differently — that's why it's called a growth zone. When we encounter distress or discomfort, our old stories pop up, most of which are self-limiting. That's when we can talk ourselves out of doing something because we assume we cannot handle how we might feel.

What is the hardest thing to change?

The 10 Hardest Things To Change In Life
  1. #1: Yourself. Even harder than changing other people's minds is changing our own minds.
  2. #2. Hearts and Minds. ...
  3. #3. Careers. ...
  4. #4: Zip codes. I don't mean just changing the 5-digit number in a mailing address. ...
  5. #5: Banks. ...
  6. #6: Relationships. ...
  7. #7: Last Names. ...
  8. #8: Email addresses. ...

What motivates people to struggle for change?

Dreams and desires, values, beliefs, personal experiences, peer pressure, emotional connections, and a sense of responsibility are some of the triggers that motivate people to struggle for change.

What is the biggest problem with US healthcare?

(2024) Here Are 7 Big Issues Facing Healthcare Right Now
  • Rising Costs of Healthcare Services. ...
  • Financial Challenges for Providers. ...
  • Shortage of Healthcare Professionals. ...
  • The Need for Improved Mental Health Systems. ...
  • Increased Demand for Personalized Care. ...
  • Big Data and Cybersecurity Issues.

Why is health care so complex and difficult to reform in America?

Workers and Patients in Healthcare

Not only are there a lot of patients, but the healthcare industry is one of the nation's biggest employers, with over 15 million workers. It's hard to reform a system with so many involved while keeping everyone happy at the same time.

What is the biggest reason people in the US don t have health insurance?

Health Coverage by Age

The overall uninsured rate for working-age adults is lower than other age groups because of higher costs. According to a KFF analysis, 64 percent of uninsured working-age adults in 2022 cited high costs as the reason why they lacked coverage.

When did healthcare become a problem in the US?

It was in 1938, she argues, that the structural problems with the U.S. health care system began. In order to understand why 1938 is the key year, it helps to understand how people paid for and thought about health care before that point.

Which country has the best healthcare system?

The ten countries with the best healthcare are:
  • Australia (74.11)
  • Canada (71.32)
  • Sweden (70.73)
  • Ireland (67.99)
  • Netherlands (65.38)
  • Germany (64.66)
  • Norway (64.63)
  • Israel (61.73)

How to solve U.S. healthcare?

5 ways to improve access to health care
  1. Ensure adequate funding of the Children's Health Insurance Program and retain Medicaid expansion and implement expansion in more states. ...
  2. Stabilize individual insurance marketplaces and retain ACA market reforms. ...
  3. Address physician shortages.