Comparison of U.S. and Other Healthcare System - Assignment Example

The U.S. Healthcare System al affiliation: The U.S. and Other Healthcare System Studies reveal that the US spend a significant amount of the GDP on healthcare system far much more than any other developed country. However, despite the heavy spending, the healthcare system of the US is still not good; the population is not satisfied with services provided to them (Firger, 2014). According to Riegelman and Kirkwood, (2014, p. 217), the U.S. spends approximately 18% of the gross domestic product, GDP on healthcare system financed by federal, employers, self-pay and the state.

The insurance provided to the population is either government insurance or private insurance. Government provides insurance through Medicare and Medicaid. Private or government covers the cost of healthcare depending on individual plan. Despite provision of insurance by government and private sector, significant numbers of people in the U.S. remain uninsured. Riegelman and Kirkwood (2014, pp. 217-218) point out that close to 15% of the U.S. population do not have insurance. The study further reveals that, 20 million people in the U.S. will remain uninsured.

The delivery services provided by the US healthcare system are dominated by private practice with close to 33% primary care physicians and 66% specialist. The healthcare system of other advanced countries such as Canada and the UK are a bit different. The state of Canada spends close to 10% of the gross domestic product, GDP financed by 30% individual private insurance and 70% government taxes. Canadian state provides insurances for critical and basic services. They are also subsidies services for poor individuals.

The similarity between the US and Canadian healthcare system is that both are dominated by private practice. However, the Canadian system has a balance primary care physicians and specialist accounting to 50% each unlike the U.S. healthcare system indicated above (Riegelman & Kirkwood, 2014, p. 218). Canada healthcare system provides a wide range of insurance; both government and private insurance are accessible to the population. The government funds necessities in healthcare and preventive measures with the assurance that all individuals have access.

Additionally, private insurers are not permitted by the government to provide insurance for basic medical services. The Canadian government subsidies insurance medical services such as homecare, long-term care and drugs. Private insurers are also allowed to insure such medical services. Additionally, the state keeps the cost down by negotiating the cost of bulk purchases of medical necessitates such as drugs (Riegelman & Kirkwood, 2014, p. 218). Procurement of high-tech medical equipments is under state regulation.

On the other hand, the costs of the US equipments are determined by competition, competition is a means of regulating cost medical equipments. The administrative costs of the two countries vary with the US patients having to incur 20% to 30% costs. Canadian administrative costs are much lower; it is estimated to be 15% of the total costs (Riegelman & Kirkwood, 2014, pp. 217-218).The UK government spends 8% of the gross domestic product on healthcare, indicating that it is much less than both the U.

S and Canada. However, the administrative costs are more than both costs incurred by patients in the U.S. and Canada (Riegelman & Kirkwood, 2014, pp 218). The healthcare systems of Spain serve all the citizens equally. Based on this, Spain has had lower infant mortality rate than he U.S. additionally, a higher life expectancy and low rate of premature deaths has been reported in Spain as compared to the United States. This is attributed to Spain’s national constitution that stipulates that every citizen have right to equal access of medical services (Kovner & Knickman, 2011, pp. 80). In conclusion, it is evident that the U.S. healthcare system is more expensive despite the huge funding by the government.

It is also clear that a significant number of people in the U.S. do not have access to health insurance. This is an indication that poor individuals are likely to have a problem accessing better healthcare service, and so they will develop poor health conditions.ReferencesFirger, J. (2014, June 16). U.S. health care system ranks lowest in international survey. CBSNews. Retrieved from < http://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-health-care-system-ranks-lowest-in-international-survey/> Kovner, A. R. & Knickman, J. R. (Eds). (2011). Comparative Health Systems.

Jonas and Kovners Health Care Delivery in the United States, Tenth Edition: 10th Edition Health Care Delivery in the United States. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Riegelman, R. & Kirkwood, B. (2014). Health Insurance and Healthcare systems. Public Health 10. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.