This past school year, I have had many opportunities to take advantage of what the World Healtchare Organization deems as the most ideal healthcare system in the world. What this means is that I’ve been sick a few more times than usual, but I’ve been lucky enough to have the solidarity of the French healthcare system to get me back on my feet, complete with my own Carte Vitale, which is basically the equivalent of an American insurance card.
By just about every qualification, the French system far surpasses the healthcare I grew up with: it is more affordable, French people are less obese, they live longer, and there is a smaller disparity between the rich and the poor. (Side note: for a seriously depressing perspective of just how much healthcare differs between the rich and the poor in the US, check out this coverage from The Washington Post.)
Perhaps the most shocking aspect about French healthcare (for an American) is that healthcare is a nonpartisan issue. The reason? This system delivers favorable results, and it protects essentially 100% of French citizens.
Because this is a critical time in the US, where the legislature is once again discussing healthcare, and Americans are once again butting heads over what healthcare should be, I feel obliged to add to this discussion with a nuanced perspective for why I completely oppose the changes that Republicans have proposed for our healthcare. I sincerely hope that one day, Americans will embrace a single payer system because, by all possible measures, this is the most effective system of healthcare.
Why French Healthcare Works
In the French system, there is one simple reason that everything fall into place, and this reason is solidarity. All citizens pay a tax for healthcare according to their income, and this tax goes into one of five healthcare funds: general, independent, agricultural, student, and public servants. These funds are used to reimburse citizens with a portion of their out-of-pocket fees every time they go to the doctor. For additional reimbursements, French people can subscribe to private, non-profit companies for a “mutuelle,” which can range from an additional 10€ to 100€ per month. For those who are far too poor for healthcare because they have never worked nor been students, a general taxation fund covers the costs of their healthcare.
Because of the solidarity of the French system, France is able to cover 100% of the medical expenses for their seriously and chronically ill citizens. Cancer patients, AIDS parients, and people with severe mental illnesses are all able to receive their care for free because everyone contributes to one of five enormous healthcare funds.
Isn’t the Quality Diminished by the Low Price?
No. No, no, no, no, no.
Contrary to popular belief, paying more money for treatment does not mean that the quality of the expensive treatment is better. Again, the French are healthier than Americans in every possible measure, meaning that their care is inherently better.
Additionally, unlike the horror stories about waiting lists for treatments in the Canadian and British single-payer systems, wait times are unusual in France. This might be contributed to the focus on a “médecin traitant,” who is responsible for preventing disease and overseeing the day-to-day management of chronic diseases. This leaves specialists free to focus only on the most pressing cases, therefore lowering overall wait time. For procedures like surgeries, wait times in France are essentially the same as in the US.
So, What’s the Catch?
There is one major flaw in the French healthcare system, and it came up several times throughout their election: access to healthcare is rapidly diminishing in rural France. While France maintains very affordable healthcare, the rural citizens may have to drive as many as forty-five minutes to reach a généraliste, and much longer to reach a spécialiste. This stems from the trend of young doctors establishing themselves in cities, where working as a team in a multiple-doctor practice can counter the operating costs of being in the private sector. The government is trying to encourage these young doctors to move to the campagne by offering grants for those who establish their practice in these so-called medical deserts.
Because the US is also composed of a significant portion of rural towns, a system identical to the French would also suffer in this regard.
But, the Bottom Line Is…
In the US, we are lacking in the most important aspect of what makes healthcare work in every other developed country; we do not operate our healthcare system in solidarity with each other. Under the proposed changes that the Republicans have offered thus far, we will only exacerbate our biggest healthcare problems. By putting our sickest and poorest populations into their own “high risk” pools, we will guarantee the bankruptcy and/or death of these Americans.
Solidarity, or in other words, unity of all Americans is the only way that we can tackle the problems that are literally killing Americans daily.
Amanda Lyn en France 