In our country, we tend to try to make a profit off of anything we can.  In terms of healthcare, we make money off of people getting sick.  Pharmaceutical companies raise the prices of drugs, making it a stretch for lower class citizens to afford the medication that they need.  Insurance companies raise premiums when they see that a client has recently been diagnosed with something.  Even with Obamacare, health insurance companies are still profiting off people being sick.   The private sector always seems to win.

A peer of mine once told me “Our country has the greatest healthcare program in the world.”  I think what he is referring to is the quality of care one CAN THEORETICALLY obtain, by forking over a large some of money.  The same goes with mental health issues.  A private psychiatrist can charge however much he or she wants for treatment.  The quality of care will likely be much better than a government funded social worker.  Both of my parents are therapists, and are in the business of help.  The homeless and other low-income individuals will never be able to afford this high quality of treatment.

Paradoxically, top tier doctors and physiatrists don’t seem to be using their skills on those who need it most.  They tend to treat minor issues of the upper class, such as minor pains and depression.  The homeless and low income individuals typically have the most severe cases, don’t they? How can we mesh top quality care with the lowest quality of living?