As an EMT working in emergency medicine I often get asked, “how much is this going to cost me?”

Post #1 Carissa
As a healthcare worker in the U.S. I see first hand just how unfair and what a broken system it is. As an EMT working in emergency medicine I often get asked, “how much is this going to cost me?” from numerous patients that really need the medical help but held off as long as possible for the fear that they cannot afford the transport. The truth of it is that a high majority of the people we transport do not have medical coverage. The average cost of an ambulance ride here in Sonoma County is $1700 not including the added on costs of mileage, night shift, or even oxygen. The added cost for just oxygen alone during an ambulance ride is averaged to be $149.98. This to me seems insane and yet I participate in this broken system on a daily basis in order to pay my own bills and pay for my own health care. During Farmer’s trip to Cuba we learn that Cuba prioritizes health care by providing affordable healthcare and by treating healthcare as a right for every citizen. They have a high quality and equitable distribution of health care due to their views that it is seen as a human right (which it is).
The difference between Capitalism and Socialism is that Capitalism is based on the principle of individual rights whereas Socialism is based on the principle of equality and fairness. The U.S. is very strongly influenced by the economic philosophy of capitalism and this is reflected in healthcare where the only thing that matters is the profit which can be gained by charging individuals for the care they recieve. The means of production are determined by the market forces which in turn factors out the actual human need and right to live and be treated for their illness without fear that they will no longer be able to provide food for their family or pay for the rent that puts a roof over their head. Cuba, on the other hand is a country that is heavily influenced by the economic principle of socialism in which the means of production are socially owned and determined by the government. Farouq mentions in her article “Cuba’s Healthcare System: A Political, Social, and Economic Revolution” that, “Cuba’s health care system also follows a proactive structural approach. The focus of this approach is providing preventative medical services, nationwide coverage, and access to treatment. To follow up with this as mentioned in “A look at medical costs in Cuba vs. U.S.,” Cuba produces most of its medicine and reduces labor costs compared to the United States. The statistics are astonishing and it is horrifying to see

Post # 2 jaidee

As Cuba is a socialist country, you would almost be able to assume that they have health care for all citizens. There are no private hospitals or clinics, as they are all government-run. Before the revolution, this was the opposite. Health care wasn’t easily accessible and heavily corrupted. In the United States, this is pretty much how health care still is. It’s isn’t the easiest to get, unless you’re covered under your job. Even then it’s a lot of money taken out of your paychecks. People who don’t have access to these jobs are either paying absurd amounts to pay for it, or paying an absurd amount for medical care by paying out-of-pocket. It’s not something I ever really understood. Why wouldn’t we want everyone to have health care?
In Cuba, the means of production are publicly owned since they are socialists. They nearly eliminate inequality by tightly controlling businesses. With capitalism, society benefits from when the distribution of wealth is determined by the current market. Their prices are produced by supply and demand, whereas socialist countries’ prices are set by the government. The Cuban government cares a bit more about equality, while the U.S. government cares more about the wealth being distributed where it’s deserved.

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