Ariana Ramsey, a member of the U.S. women’s rugby team, is gaining attention on TikTok not for her athletic prowess, but for her enthusiasm about free health care in the Olympic Village.
Over the past week, Ramsey has been sharing her experiences with the free health services available to athletes. The Olympic Village, hosting around 22,250 athletes, provides round-the-clock access to a medical clinic. Sports Illustrated notes that this health care provision has been in place since the 1932 Los Angeles Games.
Ramsey initially received a pap smear and later scheduled dental and eye appointments. She now advocates for universal health care in the U.S., calling it her “new fight for action.”
“America needs to improve its health care system,” Ramsey said. “It’s surprising that I, as an American, am so impressed by free health care.”
The U.S. stands as the only high-income country without universal health care. In 2022, health care spending in the U.S. rose by 4.1 percent, reaching $4.5 trillion, or $13,493 per person, according to the National Health Expenditure Account. This represented 17.3 percent of the national GDP.
In contrast, France, with one of the highest health care expenditures in the EU, spent 12.3 percent of its GDP on health care in 2021. Health care costs in France amounted to $5,380.88 per person, as reported by the World Health Organization.
While many Americans have private health insurance through their employers, France’s health insurance system is publicly funded through payroll taxes, a national earmarked income tax, and other sources including taxes on tobacco, alcohol, the pharmaceutical industry, and state subsidies.
Ramsey’s team achieved a milestone by securing the first Olympic medal for Team USA women’s rugby.
