By Larrell L. Wilkinson, PHAME-US.com
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have introduced a significant benefit for athletes: free healthcare services within the Olympic Village. This initiative is significant, providing comprehensive medical care to athletes from around the world. The healthcare is an additional benefit, ensuring the athletes can perform at their best without worrying about healthcare costs.
The Olympic Village offers a wide range of medical services, including cardiology, orthopedics, physiotherapy, psychology, podiatry, and sports medicine. This extensive healthcare provision is designed to cater to the unique needs of elite athletes, who often require specialized medical attention due to the physical demands of their sports.
Ariana Ramsey, a U.S. women’s rugby player, has spotlighted her positive experiences with the free healthcare services in the Olympic Village, sharing her journey on social media. Her posts have gone viral, emphasizing the benefits she has received utilizing the healthcare system in France. Ariana’s testimonies offer followers greater understanding of the importance of access to quality health care.
Many people in the United States don’t get the health care services they need. A report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that about 1 in 10 people in the United States don’t have health insurance (Berchick, Barnett, & Hood, 2018). Strategies to increase insurance coverage rates are critical for making sure more people get important health care services, like preventive care and treatment for chronic illnesses. Voting for policies that expand healthcare coverage, utilizing current healthcare resources consistently, and practicing health promoting behaviors can lead to better health and well-being for individuals and our communities.
Using your voice and your vote can make a difference. In light of ongoing global discussions about healthcare accessibility and affordability, healthcare was is being offered at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Importantly, the initiative is supporting physical and mental health, supporting athletes ability to manage the stresses of competition. When the Olympic Games come to Los Angeles, CA in 2028, let’s hope we too will offer free health care to all Olympic Athletes. In fact, let’s do more than hope! Let’s lift our voices and support the Olympic athletes coming to our country and our many neighbors who are here and can benefit from expanded access to health care.
Strategies like providing team-based care and reducing copays can help people get recommended preventive care services. Still, there are other ideas on how to best expand access to healthcare. To find out more about efforts to support greater access to healthcare, consider visiting https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/health-care-access-and-quality.
References
Berchick, E.R., Hood, E., & Barnett, J.C. (2018). Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2017. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-264.pdf
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