After winning a historic bronze medal in women’s rugby sevens last week, Ariana Ramsey has found a new reason to be at the Olympics: free healthcare.
In a series of TikTok videos, the rugby star documented her preventative care, including a Pap smear, an eye exam, new glasses and a dentist appointment with X-rays – all free of charge, courtesy of the Olympic Village.
“Like, what?” Ramsey said in a TikTok after her appointment at the optician. “Guys, I’m really amazed.”
The village also offers athletes free specialist consultations in the fields of sports medicine, orthopedics, gynecology, cardiology and physiotherapy, says chief physician Philippe Le Van. The organizing committee covers the costs with the help of volunteer medical professionals.
Health care at the Free Village has actually been offered since the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, but until recently few athletes seemed to be aware of the perk. Other Olympians who had seen Ramsey’s videos sent her direct messages expressing their surprise, the rugby player told Sports Illustrated, and clinic staff thanked her for bringing awareness to their services.
One of Ramsey’s videos featuring healthcare volunteers has been viewed over three million times on Instagram.
According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund, the United States is the only high-income country without universal health care. The study also ranks the United States last overall in providing accessible, affordable, and quality health care, reporting that 38% of American adults did not receive recommended medical care in 2020 because it was too expensive.
Athletes, including those participating in the Olympic Games, are no exception. Although the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee provides health insurance, the eligibility of an individual athlete is determined by the respective sports federation.
“Some of the most talented competitors under our flag sleep at night under the roof of a car or without adequate food or health insurance,” said a report by an independent commission appointed by Congress.
The report found that more than 40 percent of U.S. athletes pay for their health care out of pocket, averaging about $9,200 per person. More than a quarter of athletes reported earning less than $15,000 per year.
“America needs to improve its healthcare system,” Ramsey said in a TikTok, “because there’s no way that I, as an American girl, should be so amazed by free healthcare.”
