Ethical issues in universal healthcare: comparing global systems and US access

universal access to health care in U.S. population

Ethical Issues in Global Health: World Healthcare Organization a Fundamental Universal Health Care Enabling U.S. Population in Accessing Healthcare

The objective of this study is to examine ethical issues in global health care and specifically the World Healthcare Organization as being a fundamental in universal health care enabling the U.S. population in accessing healthcare. The work of Wright (2004) relates that the United States, in a comparison of several indicators of health "ranks in or near last place among industrialized nations of the world." (p.2) In addition, the United States has one of the world's highest rates of child mortality with eight deaths per 1,000 children under the age of five reported in 2002 as well as one of the shortest life expectancy rates in the world. (Wright, 2004, paraphrased) While the United States boasts the best in the world's choice of medical specialists, the truth is that many are unable to access those specialists. Barriers to health care access in the United States are reported to include such as lack of insurance, inability to pay deductible, and the inability to leave work of find child care so that doctor appointments can be kept. In a nation with the greatest in technological advances and the most excellent health care providers and specialists, the access to health care services is among the most limited.

Switzerland -- A Success Story

It is reported by the Swiss, in the work of Wright (2004) that Universal Health Care has resulted in the lowest mortality rate in the world among children in Switzerland, the highest age expectancy rates in the world. Sweden stands as a primary example to the United States as to what Universal Health Care may offer the population. Health insurance in the United States is reported as being "private, employer-based…[and having]…strict income or age requirements." (Wright, 2004, p.4)

Summary and Conclusion

Universal access to health care is an ideology that no one can argue against because in its perfect form universal access to health care would ensure equal access to health care services for all members of the public regardless of the limitations due to income, insurance and other factors that either bar or assist health care access. Countries such as Switzerland, France and the Netherlands have however, developed what appears to be a formula for success for ensuring universal access to health care services. Required in this formula for universal health care access is maintenance of competition in the market, a focus on the costs of health care, prices on the market and finally and very importantly, that of consumer choice. This all means that prices for health care must come under competition rather than being controlled by rigid rules for billing and consumer choices should be that which drives the market and ensure successful business, or alternatively, lack of business success for the nation's health care providers and health care institutions.