Opinion Today: “I couldn’t have survived if I was in America”

What does our health care system look like to the rest of the world?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 28, 2021 By Adam B. Ellick Executive Director, Opinion Video The United States is the only industrialized country without universal health care. This was a frequent source of disbelief at dinner parties during the several years I spent living in Europe and Asia. The other dinner guests would pelt me with questions: "What is the difference between a P.P.O. and an H.M.O.?" "How can the richest nation on Earth have such impoverishing deductibles and exorbitant drug costs?" "Why do Americans have to travel to Canada to buy insulin?" Admittedly, I didn't get invited to the most interesting dinner parties. I've often been fascinated with how the world views America — in all our glory and, too frequently, in all our shame. We spend absurd amounts of money per capita on health care, yet the results, like average life expectancy, can be shockingly mediocre. This tragic reality is, in part, the inspiration for the newest episode from our series "The World Reacts," which we published this morning. Produced by Chai Dingari, Adam Westbrook and Brendan Miller, the video's intention is to present a form of cultural commentary. In a pandemic year, when the entire world has been trying to manage the same crisis, it feels especially useful to maintain an outsider's perspective — critical eye included — on one's own country. The series is also inspired by my belief that traveling offers lessons on other ways of life, and in that way challenges the norms and assumptions that govern one's own life. For this latest episode, Times Opinion's video team pulled together data, charts, photos, videos and anecdotes that revealed certain unfortunate realities about the American health care system. Then we presented the information to people around the world and recorded their reactions, which ranged from astonishment to horror, anger to disgust. The videos in the series, I think, are a more journalistically rigorous version of the popular genre of YouTube video known as the "reaction video." I also like to think of them as live experiments in storytelling, and we plan to do more of that. Previous episodes in the series dissected America's egregious response to Covid-19 and the undemocratic American voting system, and we'll be publishing more episodes on policing and the response to climate change in America in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Oscar Mazzarello via Getty Images 'That's Heartbreaking': How American Health Care Looks From Abroad We asked eight people around the world what they thought. It didn't go well. Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Michelle Cottle Biden Underpromises, Overdelivers President Biden has spent his first 100 days focused on the pandemic and the economy — and not much on Twitter. By Michelle Cottle On the News Guest Essay When Can We Declare the Pandemic Over? Normal has never meant "perfectly safe." A safer world will likely still have Covid-19 in it. By Aaron E. Carroll Guest Essay Should Biden Emphasize Race or Class or Both or None of the Above? A new paper heats up an old debate.  By Thomas B. Edsall Guest essay You Don't Actually Need to Reach Across the Aisle, Mr. Biden In today's politics, bipartisanship is a recipe for either gridlock or ineffectual policy. By John Lawrence Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Ideas Thomas L. Friedman Is There a War Coming Between China and the U.S.? A new novel about 2034 has unnerving echoes of today's headlines. By Thomas L. Friedman Pamela Paul Our Homes Have Had Enough of Us, Too Over the past year, "homesick" and "housebroken" have acquired new meanings. By Pamela Paul Elizabeth Bruenig Liberals, Stop Getting Cozy With Corporations Nobody, least of all people on the left, has anything to celebrate in the rise of activist industry. By Elizabeth Bruenig Opinion Audio Police Reform Is Coming. What Should It Look Like? Jane debates three proposals to fix America's broken policing. By 'The Argument' What You're Saying letters How to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy "It is sad indeed that partisan politics has become irrationally intertwined with public health, but that is the state of affairs in America today," a reader writes. letters They'll Miss the Term 'Op-Ed' Two readers lament that the Opinion pages will now use the term "guest essay." Also: Immigrant detention; the pandemic year. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT New York Times Opinion highlights a range of perspectives and voices. This work is made possible with the support of subscribers. Please consider supporting The Times with this special offer. Games Here is today's Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com Contact Us If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

ANALYSIS: What you need to know about the School Infrastructure Bill

What's in the School Infrastructure Bill?

about request demo faqs   What's in the three-bill package introduced by House Democrats? Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced a school infrastructure bill, which seeks to invest $130 billion to improve schools across the country. The overall package that this bill is a part of has a goal of investing half a trillion dollars in K-12 schools.  Read our legislative team's analysis of this bill, which will help you understand the context behind the legislation, what has happened so far with this bill and what we expect will happen next. Read the H.R. 604 (117) analysis excerpt (typically available only to Pro Premium subscribers). Read the Analysis     Stay one step ahead with POLITICO Pro. POLITICO Pro's platform is updated every day with new articles, data, documents, and analyses that help you stay a step ahead of major policy movement. Specifically, Pro provides our subscribers: New contact information for key stakeholders Legislative and regulatory tracking tools Analyses on new policies and new rules A comprehensive 2021 Congressional Calendar  And more... Explore all the features and tools included in POLITICO Pro.   Explore Pro   POLITICO Pro POLITICO To manage your settings click here. To unsubscribe from product updates and promotions, click here. Do Not Sell My Info |  Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA