Health care reform is a global and constant issue. Most communities are planning, preparing, implementing, legislating and assessing the health care reform as a policy improvement that is a continuous cycle. Globally, the objectives of health care reform are becoming familiar – controlling the growing costs, improving the quality of health care and increasing access to health care services.
Universal Health Coverage
Universal health care coverage is a health care system which provides financial protection and health care services to every citizen within a country. It provides a package of benefits to everyone with the end goal being providing improved access to health care, reduced cost and improved outcomes of health. However, universal healthcare does not provide coverage for everyone for everything (Pineault, et al., 1993). It only implies that everyone is able to access healthcare. Some universal coverage systems are funded by the government while others are based on what the citizen is required by private health insurance.
Universal coverage is determined by three dimensions; how much of the cost is covered, who is covered and what services are covered (Rittenhouse, et al., 209). The World Health organization describes universal health coverage as a condition in which the citizens have access to health services without incurring any hardship in finances. Universal coverage is a powerful concept Public Health offers because it is delivered in an integrated and comprehensive way. One of the goals with universal coverage is creating a protection system which provides equality of opportunity individuals to enjoy. Most people agree that access to healthcare should be considered as a human right but not as a luxury.
Reduction of Cost
Being medically insured does not necessarily assist him or her get a timely and efficient treatment appointment. It does not also give a guarantee that the patient will afford all the required deductibles before an examination. The goal of healthcare reforms is to offer accessibility at a fair price. Of late, the efforts to controlling the costs of healthcare have taken an approach of top-down. However, due to the diversity in delivery systems, there...
References
Phillips Jr, R. L., & Bazemore, A. W. (2010). Primary care and why it matters for US health system reform. Health Affairs, 29(5), 806-810.
Pineault, R., Lamarche, P. A., Champagne, F., Contandriopoulos, A. P., & Denis, J. L. (1993). The reform of the Quebec health care system: potential for innovation?. Journal of Public Health Policy, 14(2), 198-219.
Reforming America's Health Care Delivery System," by Hackbarth, presented before the State Finance Committee Roundtable on Reforming America's Health Care Delivery System (2009).URL: http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/042109ghtest1.pdf
Rittenhouse, D. R., Shortell, S. M., & Fisher, E. S. (2009). Primary care and accountable care—two essential elements of delivery-system reform. New England Journal of Medicine, 361(24), 2301-2303.
Successful Strategic Planning for a Reformed Delivery System," by Zuckerman, from Journal of Healthcare Management (2014).URL: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=107853130&site=ehost-live&scope=site
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