The People Behind America’s Health

As the nation ushers in a GOP-controlled House and Senate, healthcare endures — a priority that transcends political currents. With 90 percent of American adults showing early signs of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome, a troubling convergence of heart, kidney, and metabolic disease, a greater burden will be placed on an already stressed healthcare system. With the election behind us, it’s time to lift healthcare above campaign rhetoric and invest in a care economy that breaks the cycle of chronic illness to build longer, healthier lives for all Americans.

Behind every patient is a caregiver, often unpaid, whose labor keeps the system afloat.

Alongside the 24.1 million paid workers in childcare, home health, and nursing, countless others provide unpaid care, often stepping back from their own careers to support loved ones. Estimates suggest that 53 million Americans shoulder unpaid labor, caring for family and friends without compensation.

America is bracing for a care crisis. 

Chronic diseases like CKM and early-onset colorectal cancer are rising among young people, while 11,000 Americans age into Medicare each day. Meanwhile, primary care physicians — our frontline of wellness — are vanishing from the workforce at a record pace. And with families stretched thin, supporting loved ones across generations, there’s urgency to reshape our care economy to meet future demands and extend healthy years of life.

While the campaign trail was steeped in division, a strong care economy can unite us. It’s not red or blue — it’s a shared American responsibility.

Too often, leaders focus only on paid roles — nurses, home aides, and staff — overlooking the millions of unpaid family caregivers who form the backbone of the care economy. Boston Consulting Group estimates that by 2030, the U.S. could lose $290 billion as more workers leave jobs to care for loved ones. We need to rethink who can deliver care and where it can be delivered — building new spokes that connect caregivers, support services, and technology to a unified healthcare network. Without action, the economic and human toll will only worsen.

Health technology investor Chrissy Farr emphasizes that tapping into the care economy requires collaboration between the public and private sectors — and promising pilots are already emerging. For example, Lyft’s partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs provides homeless veterans with transportation to medical appointments, reducing no-show rates and easing a critical burden for caregivers.

Investment in the care economy is on the rise, with $3 billion directed to care-focused companies in 2021 alone. But healthcare remains human, and technology alone won’t solve the caregiving crisis. Alongside tech advances, we need a community-care model that brings in everyday people — fathers, sisters, neighbors — to ease the strain on our healthcare workforce. But how do we bring non-professionals into the fold? What will prepare and empower them? And how can we fast-track certifications and ensure quality care? The Trump administration, elected on a mandate to serve the working class, has a unique opportunity to answer these urgent questions for America’s caregivers.

Building a community-care model means going back to basics. 

Imagine if first aid training — CPR and AED use — were mandatory in schools and workplaces. What if, to get a driver’s license, you had to show you could recognize cardiac arrest as easily as you can parallel park? Embedding these skills into everyday checkpoints empower community members to respond in moments of crisis.

Preventive care also needs a rethink. Basic health checks like blood pressure and temperature readings shouldn’t be confined to a doctor’s office. Imagine public spaces, like libraries, equipped with telehealth stations, offering access points that save caregivers hours on routine visits. This vision is already taking shape on the outskirts of Rochester, New York, where a partnership between a local bank and the University of Rochester Medical Center has transformed community banks into telehealth hubs. Now, rural residents can pop in to check their blood pressure or consult with a provider online — making healthcare as convenient as a trip to town.

Steps like these empower people with chronic conditions — and their caregivers — to track symptoms and catch issues early. But orchestrating care at this localized level is no small feat. To ensure care continuity, data collection and sharing is paramount, and the next administration will need to be prepared to stitch together unconventional care with a modern digital infrastructure.  

President-elect Trump has an opportunity to fortify our nation’s caregiving backbone. By putting communities at the heart of a reimagined care economy, his administration can create lasting change — building on the strength of Americans who have always cared for one another and pave the way to a healthier future.

Source: champpixs, Getty Images

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