U.S. healthcare system - Essay Example

U.S Healthcare System Question Death spiral refers to an insurance strategy, which emerges because of rapid increase in insurance costs. This type of insurance plan is normally as consequential of the rapid changes in the population covered by the insurance companies. The death spiral is due to the emergence of various adverse selections in the emerging insurance policies where the lower risk policyholders choose to change policies, due to the increased insurance costs, to be uninsured (Herzlinger & Jeff 26).

The death spiral insurance policy is acute particularly in using experience ratings for this insurance systems purchase only the individual’s health insurance, as opposed to the community. This can be primarily avoided through unlimited opening of the enrolment periods by both individuals as well as the community as a whole. Question #2 The indemnity plans are more costly than the HMO plans as the HMO medical plans are of lower disease occurrence and prevalence among its health insurance policyholders.

The HMO code of ethics, in the insurance industry, involves restrictions to the access of a more expensive or necessary medical treatments thus making it cost-effective insurance policy plan compared to the indemnity plans (Herzlinger & Jeff 30). The insurance plans incentivize decreases moral hazards through the imposition of strict liabilities as well the credit capacity association in relation to the kind of incentives being insured against. The more expensive and incentive insurance plans normally tend to reduce the moral hazards associated with it.

The imposition of strict liabilities and credit capacities have been some of the major strategic plans put on board by various insurance companies, such as the Medicare, towards the mitigation of the moral hazards problem by the policyholders. Question #3 Cost sharing as a fee-for service healthcare undermines the kind of healthcare treatments individuals are entitled to at any given time. This cost effective system of healthcare discriminates the healthcare people are allowed to get in relation to the class and status of individuals since it is money-oriented (Herzlinger & Jeff 33).

This cost sharing does not enhance equity in the accessibility of the healthcare services hence the poor, in the society, will tend to get inefficient and ineffective healthcare services in the hospital facilities. This cost sharing, on the other hand, is recommended for it ensures a quick healthcare service delivery. This system of healthcare, though discriminative, has improved the quality of life, as its main objective is to provide an efficient healthcare service to the sick. Lastly, the cost sharing heath care has reduced overcrowding in the healthcare facilities thus enabling a quick delivery of healthcare services.

Question #4 This will definitely increase employment for as far as insurance is concerned, the money used in the insurance of the workers will be in the custody of the employer and not the employees. The premiums used in the insurance of the workers, if the employees do not experience any health related risks, is refundable at a given profit amounts (Herzlinger & Jeff 27). This will encourage employers to employ more workers and insure them, as the major beneficiaries on behalf of the workers.

They will also in the long run benefit from the insurance premiums. Finally, the company will be relieved of the healthcare burdens whenever their employees are sick thus increasing job security and the employer-employee relations at the workplace. Question #5 To come up with a perfect and healthy society in relation to the provision of a well-organised and efficient healthcare, I would do the following. First, for the retention of the prevailing economic system, every individual should be made, by the constitution, to pay a mandatory tax for his or her taxable incomes for the improvement of the societal health status.

Through this, there will be funds for the cost-sharing subsidies in the hospital facilities. This, in turn, will enhance the equality in the accessibility of the healthcare services by every individual in the society regardless of the status and class. This will as well improve the quality of life for every individual, as they will be free to access any hospital in relation to the health status. The maternity health should be another appropriate field to be put in consideration due to it sensitivity, in the human health.

For a society to be stable economically, respect for the unborn lives should be paramount. It should, therefore, be very important for the existing policies to provide for an efficient and effective maternity service on the pregnant women for it is one of the major challenges we experience in this era. Works Cited Herzlinger, Regina and Jeff Grahling. "Note on Financing of the U.S. Healthcare Sector." (2003): 25-44. Print