When Ariana Ramsey secured a historic bronze medal in women’s rugby sevens, she discovered a new surprise at the Olympics, which was free health care services. In one of her videos on TikTok, she shared her pleasant experience about getting health care services that include a pair of glasses, an eye exam, a pap smear and a dental X-ray. This was all provided at no cost. She was not charged any amount for this.
Like, what?” Ramsey exclaimed after her optometry visit. Thank you all, I’m truly amazed.” she was truly amazed with this.
The Olympic Village offers athletes specialized consultations in sports medicine, orthopedics, gynecology, cardiology, and physiotherapy, all free of charge. According to Chief Medical Officer Philippe Le Van, the organizing committee with support from volunteer healthcare professionals funds the services.
Although these free services have been available since the 1932 Los Angeles Games, many athletes were unaware of them until recently. Following Ramsey’s TikTok, which went viral, other Olympians reached out to express their surprise. Clinic staff also thanked her for bringing attention to the services, with one of her videos featuring volunteer workers garnering over three million views on Instagram.
The contrast between the Olympic Village’s free health care and the U.S. system is stark. The United States is the only high-income country without universal health care, according to The Commonwealth Fund. The same report ranked the U.S. last in terms of accessibility, affordability, and quality of care. In 2020, 38% of American adults skipped necessary medical care because of its cost.
U.S. Olympic athletes face similar challenges. While the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee provides some health insurance, eligibility depends on the athlete’s sport. A congressional report revealed that over 40% of U.S. athletes pay for health care out of pocket, with an average annual cost of $9,200 per person. Additionally, more than 25% of U.S. athletes earn less than $15,000 per year.
America needs to do better with their health care system,” Ramsey said on TikTok, “because there’s no reason why me, an American girl, should be so amazed by free health care.
Leave feedback about this