Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a speech at the University of New England, emphasizing that despite having the most expensive health care system in the world, the United States does not have the best outcomes. He highlighted the social and economic costs of not providing care and stressed the responsibility to address basic health care needs for all individuals.
The consequences of not providing care can be dire. Quality prenatal and postnatal care can reduce child abuse, increase vaccination rates, and ensure that children reach their developmental milestones. Access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for parents is crucial for the overall health of the family. Substance abuse or chronic homelessness can often be attributed to a lack of access to treatment.
Universal access to primary care would lower long-term costs by preventing conditions like prediabetes from progressing to diabetes, controlling blood pressure before a stroke occurs, or managing kidney disease in its early stages. Preventative care and early treatment are much more cost-effective than dealing with a full-blown medical crisis.
Research conducted at Yale indicates that implementing a universal health care plan like Senator Sanders’ Medicare for All could reduce national health care expenditures by 13.1%, or $458 billion annually, compared to the current system. These savings do not even account for the social costs of not providing care, as outlined in the speech. Susan Henderson, a registered nurse from South Portland, delivered this powerful message urging the importance of universal health care.
