U.S. healthcare system proposals and analysis - Essay Example

NEED FOR HEALTH CARE REFORMS The health care industry in the United s of America is completely dominated by the bureaucrats, health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical corporations that are continually seeking ways to drain as much money as possible from the patients before they die (Michael, 2013). Billions of dollars are spent by the pharmaceutical companies to convince the US citizens to rely on drugs offered by the companies while the insurance health companies are provided with an opportunity to make billions of dollars by significantly reducing the quality of health care.

Meanwhile, both pharmaceutical and health insurance companies make sure that the politicians do not interfere in the matter by spending millions of dollars (Kennedy, 2012). COST, QUALITY AND ACCESS TO CURRENT U.S. HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Health care industry is one of the most rapidly growing industries in United States. In addition, the people in United States spend nearly twice on health care as compared to any other sector yet the individuals are provided with inadequate quality. Although the costs are rising day by day in the health care industry but the quality is constantly lacking behind.

According to Davis (2010), United States of America is constantly lacking behind in quality, access, efficiency, equity and healthy lives. Moreover, the physicians and the hospitals are rewarded on the volume of services provided to the patients rather than the quality and overall value of the care. Due to such payment model design, the healthcare sector in the United States has constantly witnessed changes in healthcare landscape. The healthcare industry in United States focuses highly on the concept of consumerism (i.e. providing the best quality services to the patients at lower costs) but the current situation of the healthcare industry has led the health policy experts and economists to challenge consumerism (Deloitte, 2012).

The consumer needs and wants are constantly being ignored; in terms of cost and quality, due to which 6.5 percent of the consumers failed to obtain needed medical attention (CDC, 2011). The access of the healthcare has made its way into the American value system but has continually lacked behind in meeting the needs of the customers. According to Deloitte’s report, the costs in the healthcare industry are unsustainable. The costs identified in the National Health Expenditure Account (NHEA) are misrepresented by $363 billion or 14.

7 percent i.e. more than that represented in the NHEA accounts (Keckley and Coughlin, 2012). SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENE? The healthcare industry in the United States of America is the freest and a broken system as the healthcare industry is constantly lacking behind to meet the requirement of the people i.e. to be provided with quality healthcare (Chaidez, 2013). Quality healthcare is the basic right of every individual in United States but the rising costs and the failure of the healthcare industry is constantly preventing the people to be provided with quality healthcare.

US spends more on healthcare as compared to any other country on both per capita scale and as a proportion of GDP, yet the healthcare needs of the public are not being met. Although the healthcare has carved its way into the American value system but the current situation of the healthcare system provides a clear view regarding its failure to meet the healthcare wants of the people. Due to such fact, the government intervention has become inevitable and necessary so that the basic right of the people could be effectively provided (Heskett, 2007).

PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE IN HEALTHCARE BY POLITICAL PARTIES The healthcare industry in the United States of America is once again in the spotlight as the costs associated with the quality healthcare is constantly increasing (i.e. annual growth rate 6.7 percent) which has eventually raised the public’s concern regarding the issue (Miller, 2012). The proposed Obama healthcare plan clearly indicates that “the employer coverage would be strengthened significantly while making the insurance companies accountable.

In addition, the patients would have full authority to select the doctor and care without the intervention of the government (Miller, 2012).” The democrats and the republicans have different views regarding the healthcare system in United States. The democrats take Affordable Care Act (ACA) into consideration when it comes to Healthcare or Medicare. The democrats proposed a plan that indicated that the payments made to the Medicare providers would reduce by $716 billion over the next decade (Schimpff, 2012).

In addition, the democrats want the government to provide the people with affordable options regarding healthcare (i.e. the government should cover the extra costs that the doctors charge for their services). On the other hand, the republicans proposed that the privatization of healthcare industry would be the most feasible option as it would keep the costs down while imposing restrictions that would drive the prices up (Miller, 2012). KEY ELEMENTS OF REFORM In order to fix the healthcare industry in United States many problems would have to be taken under consideration.

Some of the elements of healthcare reforms are as follows (Barrett and Hammond, 2009): The healthcare would be treated as a basic human right rather than just a luxury Cost would significantly be reduced to provide the patients and providers with effective access to healthcare. This means that the drugs costs along with administrative cost would be significantly reduced The primary care would be significantly increased with an aim to avoid duplication of services and coordination with the patients Quality care should be provided to the patients while eliminating duplication of services.

This would help in the reduction of cost for the overall health-care system References Barrett, S., and Hammond, J. (2009). Key elements of healthcare reform. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.insurancereformwatch.org/basic/key.shtml CDC. (2011). Access to health care. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/access_to_health_care.htm Chaidez, S. (2013). Healthcare as a market failure: why public policy should step in. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://politics.knoji.com/healthcare-as-a-market-failure-why-public-policy-should-step-in/ Davis, K. (2010). Mirror mirror on the wall: how the performance of the US Health care system compares internationally, 2010 update.

CommonWealth Fund. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2010/Jun/Mirror-Mirror-Update.aspx?page=all Deloitte. (2012). Deloitte 2012 Survey of U.S. Health Care Consumers: The performance of the health care system and health care reform. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.deloitte.com/assets/dcom-unitedstates/local%20assets/documents/health%20reform%20issues%20briefs/us_chs_issuebrief_2012consumersurvey_061212.pdf Heskett, J. (2007). What is the government’s role in US healthcare?

Harvard Business School. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5645.html Keckley, P., and Coughlin, S. (2012). 2012 survey of US health care consumers: five year look back. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://dupress.com/articles/2012-survey-of-u-s-health-care-consumers-five-year-look-back/ Kennedy, C. (2012). Cost And Quality Concerns, Policy Changes Lead To Innovation, Collaboration — And Accountable Care. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2012/08/24/cost-and-quality-concerns-policy-changes-lead-to-innovation-collaboration-and-accountable-care/ Michael. (2013). 50 signs that the US Health care system is a gigantic money making scam.

Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/50-signs-that-the-u-s-health-care-system-is-a-gigantic-money-making-scam-that-is-about-to-collapse Miller, B. (2012). The ongoing political battle for healthcare. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://occupyhealthcare.net/2012/03/the-ongoing-political-battle-for-healthcare/ Schimpff, S. (2012). Democrats versus Republicans: Two different approaches to Medicare. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/10/democrats-republicans-approaches-medicare.html