Health Care in America and Other Countries - Essay Example

?The healthcare system in the USA has distinct features that identify it in its functioning, as well as their running. The first aspect is based on government funding of the public healthcare system. In the United States, roughly 15% of the gross domestic product in the entire country is spent on healthcare. However, the US health care system requires that patients have sufficient funds to cater for their medical fees in both public and private institutions. For this reason, medical and health insurance raises significant concerns towards the provision of universal healthcare services. In relation to this, since a large percentage of American lack health insurance cover, the cost of the services rendered tends to be prohibitive for Americans to receive health services. For this reason, this paper seeks to highlight the US health care system in relation to other countries, as well as the reforms in the healthcare. The United Kingdom runs a publicly funded universal healthcare system by the name National Health Service (NHS) (Chang, n.d). The funds in the case of the UK emanate from the taxation proceeds that citizens and other workers pay. In this light, most of the health services in the country are provided by the NHS and local governments while the provision lies under the Health Department. In Japan, a social insurance system in place, this requires that all citizens acquire health insurance from their work places or subscribed through community-based plans. Those who cannot afford insurance premiums are catered for by the public through the government. In addition, since most of the health insurance is in the private sector, the government negotiates with physicians on the prices for medical procedures and thus maintains health care costs to a minimum. Similarly, Germany employs a social insurance health model but have a relatively high co-payment. Moreover, the government does not negotiate procedural prices, but assigns the task to fund managers. Just as with Japan and Germany, Switzerland adopts a social insurance model in their healthcare system, which has contributed to the universal coverage of its citizens. The insurance companies are prohibited from making profits in the provision of basic care, but can make money from supplemental insurance. In addition, the insurance providers negotiate with healthcare providers to set prices on medical services while the government regulates the cost of drugs. The national health insurance is the model of choice for Taiwan adopted following adequate research on healthcare systems. All citizens must be insured with working people paying split premiums with their employers while the government provides subsidized rates for the poor and veterans, which presents a system is similar to the US Medicare program (Frontline, 2008). There are numerous problems within the current health care system in the United States among them is the provision of medical insurance. The US system is rated to have a poor cost-benefit ration where a significant number of people lack insurance while others are underinsured. This has served to push the costs of healthcare services to an all-time high, which has in turn stratified medical care where patients receive medical services depending on how much they are willing to pay. It is essential to establish universal coverage for all citizens regardless of their financial backgrounds. As such, the government should strive to develop viable policies that will transform the healthcare sector to be empathetic rather than profit oriented. Moreover, many are the times that the insurance companies dedicate their efforts to avoid paying claims. This reduces transparency within the healthcare system where insurance providers maximize their profits at the expense of the patients (Jonas, 2012). A solution to the prevailing situation can be found in the establishment of healthy competition among insurance providers and limiting their profits. In addition, limiting bureaucracy in the system would serve to divert attention to patients and not profits. There are three principal components of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, and they include insurance reform, Medicaid expansion, and the establishment of health insurance exchanges. Owing to public dissatisfaction on medical insurance, reforms on the same are critical for the provision of quality healthcare services. In the same manner, reforms in health insurance offer numerous consumer protections with regard to private insurance providers. Similarly, this seeks to enhance access to medical insurance coverage for all Americans with an estimated 32 million new signings. In addition, insurance reforms will rewrite the existing rule, which will see the end of medical underwriting and exclusions due to pre-existing conditions. Moreover, insurance premiums will be based on family structure, age, actuarial value, and participation in health programs (Responsible reform for the middle class, n.d). The expansion of Medicaid is geared towards bridging gaps in the healthcare system in relation to eligibility. This will effectively resolve disparities in healthcare provision among members of the society. Similarly, expansions through the Medicaid program will focus on reducing the costs of medicals services by providing preventive care without co-pays or deductibles. The establishment of exchanges creates a state-based health insurance system with competitive policies for individuals and business to purchase (California Health Benefit Exchange, 2011). This is aimed at establishing personal responsibility to purchase health insurance to all citizens. Unique considerations are also made to provide financial assistance to those within the low-income bracket. The establishment of competitive bidding in health care ensures all concerned parties stick with their specialty, thus eliminating payment concerns. Ultimately, the USA has been using a widely ineffective scheme for a long time, which has led to escalating medical disparities in the delivery of services. It is the high time that policy makers adopt new healthcare systems by studying successful schemes by other countries for the benefit of their citizens. With the establishment of reforms in the healthcare system, the government sees the need to make changes owing to the ineffective strategies under the previous health model. As such, the government demonstrates its concern by effecting changes. The current direction of health care reforms is positive at every turn, and every step of implementation should be applauded. References Chang, J., Peysakhovich F., Wang W. and Zhu, J. (n.d).The UK Health Care System. Retrieved from http://ce.columbia.edu/files/ce/pdf/actu/actu-uk.pdf California Health Benefit Exchange. (2011).Cooperative Agreement to Support Establishment of State-Operated Health Insurance Exchanges: California Application Level I Establishment Grant. Retrieved from http://www.healthexchange.ca.gov/Documents/California%20Health%20Benefit%20Exchange%20Level%20I%20Establishment%20Project%20Narrative.pdf Responsible reform for the middle class. (n.d). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Detailed Summary. Retrieved from http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill04.pdf Frontline. (2008). Five Capitalist Democracies & How the Do It. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/?utm_campaign=videoplayer&utm_medium=fullplayer&utm_source=relatedlink Jonas, S. (2012). “Beyond Financing and Payments: Problems Faced by the U.S Health Care System”. The Greanville Post. Retrieved from http://www.greanvillepost.com/2012/09/07/problems-faced-by-the-u-s-health-care-system/ Read More