Moving Beyond Capitalism for Our Health

Area of Science:

• Socioeconomics of Healthcare
• Political Economy of Health
• Critical Health Studies

Background:

• Capitalist health systems in the US and universal health programs globally are experiencing deepening crises.
• Neoliberal policies have exacerbated issues through privatization, public service cutbacks, and subsidization of private insurance.
• The financialization of economies has led to an oligopolistic and financialized health insurance sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the structural conditions affecting health systems.
• To argue that achieving viable national health programs requires moving beyond capitalism.
• To examine the proletarianization of health professionals within capitalist structures.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative book analysis of structural conditions in healthcare.
• Examination of neoliberal policies' impact on public and private health insurance.
• Analysis of the changing social class position of health professionals.

Main Results:

• Capitalist health systems are increasingly unstable, affecting both private and public sectors.
• Privatization and financialization have intensified under neoliberalism.
• Health professionals, particularly the medical profession, are experiencing proletarianization.

Conclusions:

• Viable national health programs necessitate a fundamental transformation beyond capitalism.
• The struggle for accessible health systems must confront the limitations of the capitalist state and society.
• A long-term solution requires reshaping not only healthcare but also the broader socio-economic structure.