Let's face it, in America today we don't have a health care system, we have a sick care system.
Tom HarkinRead
Let's face it, in America today we don't have a health care system, we have a sick care system. We wait until people become obese, develop chronic diseases, or become disabled - and then we spend untold hundreds of billions annually to try to make them better.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes the American health care system for focusing on treating illnesses rather than preventing them.
Tom Harkin points out a critical flaw in the American health care system, suggesting that it is reactive rather than proactive. Instead of providing preventative care that keeps people healthy, the system only responds to illnesses after they happen, leading to a cycle of poor health and extensive expenditures on treatment rather than prevention.
Themes
HealthSick CarePreventionSystemDisease
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions about health care reform.
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