In a new report released by the Commonwealth Fund, the United States health system has been ranked dead last among 10 peer nations, signaling a troubling state of affairs for healthcare in the country. Despite Americans paying nearly double the amount compared to other countries, the system has performed poorly in key areas such as health equity, access to care, and outcomes.

The President of the Commonwealth Fund, Dr. Joseph Betancourt, expressed his concerns over the human toll of these shortcomings, citing cases where patients cannot afford crucial medications or arrive at hospitals in a sicker condition due to a lack of insurance coverage throughout their lives. Dr. Betancourt emphasized the urgent need for a health system that provides quality and affordable healthcare for all Americans.

Surprisingly, healthcare reforms have not been a primary focus for either of the major presidential nominees, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. While Harris has framed healthcare as an economic issue, promising medical debt relief and highlighting successes like Medicare drug price negotiations under the Biden administration, Trump has suggested having concepts for improving healthcare without presenting any concrete proposals. Additionally, the conservative policy agenda Project 2025 has been criticized for its potential negative impact on scientific and public health infrastructure.

Despite the lack of major healthcare reform proposals, voters have consistently expressed concerns about the rising cost of healthcare. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation health system poll revealed that the cost of drugs, doctors, and insurance holds the top priority for both Democrats and Republicans alike.

The figures are staggering when it comes to healthcare expenditure in the US. Federal government data shows that Americans spend a staggering $4.5 trillion annually on healthcare, amounting to over $13,000 per person each year. These alarming numbers showcase the gravity of the situation and the need for immediate action.

The Commonwealth Fund's "Mirror, Mirror" series, which compares the US health system to nine other wealthy democracies, paints a bleak picture of the current state of affairs. The 20th report in the series labels the US health system as failing, highlighting the country's poor performance across 70 indicators in areas such as access to care, health equity, care process, administrative efficiency, and outcomes.

Reginald D Williams II, the Vice President of the Commonwealth Fund, expressed concern over the significant social issues that the US health system is burdened with, such as poverty, homelessness, hunger, discrimination, and substance abuse. He stressed that other countries do not place such a heavy burden on their health systems and do a better job of meeting their citizens' basic needs. Williams believes that the US can overcome these challenges and create a more equitable healthcare system for all.

However, implementing recommendations to improve the US health system's standing among peer nations will not be easy. The Commonwealth Fund suggests that expanding insurance coverage, reducing patients' out-of-pocket expenses, streamlining the complexity of insurance plans, investing in primary care and public health, and addressing social inequity are all crucial steps towards reform.

Dr. David Blumenthal, the past president of the Commonwealth Fund and an author of the report, acknowledged that rewriting the social contract would be a complex task but emphasized that the American electorate plays a crucial role in shaping the direction of healthcare reform.

As the US health system's shortcomings are brought to light through this report, it becomes increasingly evident that comprehensive reform is urgently needed to ensure that quality and affordable healthcare become a reality for all Americans.