Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities

Genre Analysis of
Healthcare and Its Disparities
By
Andres Rodriguez
English 1312
Instructor
Josue Alvarez







Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities
Intro
The healthcare market is set to a standard, a standard of being able to give paying
Americans an extra financial support in the case of a medical emergency. Despite disparities
existing in the system as admitted by several government census organizations, there are free
clinics and 24 hour minor care clinics open to provide for the low income families. All of the
information stated thus far is true. However, it was found increasingly deep trenches were being
excavated by large pharmaceutical companies in the racial and ethnic disparities, many problems
both in the market place and human health have been affected. Steven Brill the author of the
magazine article The Bitter Pill in Times magazine suggest the reason for these devastating
disparities is because of a very fundamental reason and question. Which is, why we as
Americans dont question why our health care is so expensive? He later begins to prove the
market place immense growth by this lack of voice of the general population. So for the two
genres I will distinguish the two topics of the political monetary side, and the human health side
in further detail.

Audience and purpose
In the political sector, from simply looking at the staggering revenue healthcare
companies and pharmaceutical companies rake in, it is evident money talks as a way of jargon
that can be understood in any language, the audience is that of the privileged few with high
incomes. This is proven in any government website that openly provides medical cost. Therefore
any increase in numbers. When the stock market collapsed in 2007-2008 creating a recession, the
healthcare and pharmaceutical market thrived. Brill mentioned this in a video underlining his
Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities
concern for healthcare. In one section Brill continued to find the following, The hospitals
hardnosed approach pays off the University of Texas, MD Anderson has revenue that exceeds
the cost of the world-class care it provides by so much that its operating profit for the fiscal year
2010, the most recent annual report it filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, was $531 million a profit margin of 26% on revenue of $2.05 billion, an astounding
result for such a service intensive enterprise. (Brill, Page 2, 2013). So its purpose is mainly to
inform its audience that all is bad which means all is good in terms of their purchased shares in
arbitrary companies; this good I mentioned can be proven in the steep increase of revenue in
the Brill quote above.
For the human health side of this, the prolonged denial of needing care considering its
cost is a situation that is far too common across the states. The audience is minorities in low
income areas that find no refuge in the free clinics primarily due to the wait times of several
hours, and low doctor to patient ratio. In a National Healthcare Disparities Report conducted by
The U.S, Department of Health and Human Services, On average, in 2009, 26% of Americans
reported barriers that restricted their access to care. Entry into the health care system did not
ensure high-quality care. On average, in 2009, Americans received 70% of indicated health care
services and failed to receive 30% of the care they needed to treat or prevent particular medical
conditions. The gap between best possible care and what is routinely delivered remains
substantial across the Nation. (DPHHS, 2012, page 6).
The similarities that exist between these two genres are that they both are initially for the
greater good of providing money and care for any range of income. However as we begin to contrast
its differences we begin to see the disparities that exist, considering one being purely politically and
monetarily driven and the other simply denying care to thousands. We begin to see the pattern that
they both share, the disparities that exist, are in existence because of how much the profit margin has
Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities
increased as found by Brill over tremendously short periods of time. To further compare and contrast
the two, the audience is affected by the pressure that could possible affect their health, therefore the
political aspect is daunting. As well as the actual health implications that not going to the doctor for
checkups can have on the body. Both scare, it is the money that was aforementioned in staggering
numbers, found by Brill that divides these two things.

Rhetorical Devices
The devices used alternate and seemingly interconnect with one another more often than
not. In the first genre of the political world is one with little credibility, but uses logic to
formulate and solve its issues. The emotional appeal is also almost nonexistent however when
necessary it will use it to appeal to public to mitigate tensions and reassure the rising cost is due
to the high demand in healthcare, which is true however not to the monetary extent that they are
asking. The proof of this lies in any government website regarding healthcare. Its appalling how
blatantly they admit to the disparities and continue to do nothing. Any C-SPAN showing live
feed of healthcare as a topic is always a very hot topic, however it is one with plenty of ideas
with vague solutions.
In my second genre of human health, the emotional appeal is apparent in countless tragic
tales of patients across the states. The logos is at least present but incomprehensible in the bills
the patients receive, because as found by Brill each receipt is coded by the hospitals charge
master. The charge master is a large book listing the individual price of things disposable in the
hospitals such as needles, x-rays etc the ethics lies in the statistics done annually by multiple
census bureaus accounting for the dipartites in concrete numbers.
To compare and contrast these two we begin with the similarities, I have found no
correlation between the two except in its logos. The logic is ever present in both genres and
Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities
articles being published by both which in turn creates the emotional appeal, but still nothing thus
far has been done. In contrasting the genres, the differences are in the black and white of the
printed letters. Each have their own plan of intent, emotion, and credibility. However the grey
area of doubt and outrage is far too small according to top analyst and the aforementioned Steven
Brill.

Structure and delivery
For the genre based on politics, the structure is much more formal. Shortly after
introducing who and what they are, an array of numbers and statistics begin to fill the space in
the page. The limitations that exist are essentially the way the information itself is presented. Its
very long and boring which means it wont catch the interest of those whom which it shouldnt
appeal to. That in turn gives a hint of the audience, the age group where long boring difficulty
worded articles are a part of their everyday routine, politicians and company executives.
The human health and the genres listed under it are much more inviting in a sense.
Everything that these articles entail are also mostly immediately diving into statistics after their
introduction and purpose. However the emotional appeal is ever present as real people share their
heartbreaking stories, and its because these people know their audience the articles are much
more interesting and accessible to the masses. The articles and its layout are more colorful and
short, usually only presenting a personal story and a few list of statistics, almost brochure like.
The limitations are nonexistent in some cases because they want to stir outrage, and in some
instances has prevailed.
So to compare both in structure and delivery, the political side certainly has more
structure and lack of delivery and that is acceptable by their standards because the information
Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities
theyre providing is also for the masses but rarely appealing. The human health side is more
cognizant of the idea that the information has to be short, loud and sweet. Therefore their
structure and delivery is more directed to anyone willing to listen. The similarities that they both
hold is the information. Both use the same statistics and information, the only apparent
difference is it favors only one party.

Conclusion
In conclusion, both genres are more similar than most controversial topics. Its simply the
audience that changes and its one particular audience that is severely affected. After conducting
these comparisons and contrast I found more of the simple fact that this issue is hiding in plain
sight. Neither side denies there is a very serious problem and neither side is willing to
compromise. However the political side being the bigger controlling independent variable,
should review their logic with the help of its credibility. The trust needs to come from
somewhere and needs to be shaped by decades of hopes and dreams for a healthier life. I will for
the sake of being a real advocate and not simply someone composing an assignment, will add
that if we ignore the health of our people for money, the world will have its way. For better or for
worse, the roots and foundation of any society starts with a fundamental asset, functioning
people. The ratio of the poor and the sick is narrowing and merging into one in a very dangerous
mixture. May time prove me wrong and let the political and human ethics end its disparities
before other unfortunate events merge into place.



Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities























Running Head: Healthcare and Its Disparities

References
(January, 2014, 23) National Conference of State Legislature: Health Disparities Overview, retrieved
from http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/health-disparities-overview.aspx (2014).
(January, 2011, 14) CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC Health Disparities and
Inequalities Report- United States, 2011. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6001.pdf (2011)
(2013) Times, Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us: Steven Brill
http://livingwithmcl.com/BitterPill.pdf