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U.S. Health Care System
2010 saw the passage of the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the most striking transformation to the health care landscape since Medicare's enactment in 1965. The bill focuses on two critical issues facing the overall U.S. health care system: cost and coverage. Because the U.S. health model is not defined by a single payer or "socialized medicine"; the delivery system has created a significant lacuna in coverage and access for individuals primarily based on income and affluence. Further, the cost of care and coverage has outpaced national income growth over the last decades. "The U.S. is projected to spend over $2.5 trillion on health care in 2009, or $8,160 per U.S. resident, accounting for 17.6% of GDP. In 1970, U.S. health care spending was about $75 billion, or $356 per resident, and accounted for 7.2% of GDP" (Kaiser Family Foundation. March 2009. P. 1). The Affordable...
& MacDonald, D.C. 2000. P. 5), with "emphasis on insurance expansion, benefit standards, and limits on costs for those with lower incomes" (Schoen, C. Osborn, R. Squires, D. Doty, M. Pierson, R. & Applebaum, S.P. 2)
U.S. Health Care Problems
A common phrase that is trumpeted by entrenched interests in the health care industry is that the U.S. has the finest health care in the world, yet a mountain of statistics proves otherwise. "The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance" (World Health Organization.org. 2000. P. 1) according to the World Health Organization. This ranking reflects core problems…
A common phrase that is trumpeted by entrenched interests in the health care industry is that the U.S. has the finest health care in the world, yet a mountain of statistics proves otherwise. "The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance" (World Health Organization.org. 2000. P. 1) according to the World Health Organization. This ranking reflects core problems of the delivery model which has left some 49.9 million uninsured in 2010 (U.S. Census Bureau.gov. 2010. P. 27), leaves "one third of U.S. adults without recommended care, and one fifth of U.S. adults having major problems paying medical bills" (Schoen, C. Osborn, R. Squires, D. Doty, M. Pierson, R. & Applebaum, S.P. 2). A point that does resonate however is that income is the ultimate "Mendoza Line" for individuals receiving health services. "The uninsured rate was higher among people with lower incomes and lower among people with higher incomes" (U.S. Census Bureau.gov. 2010. P. 27). As a result the proclivity for individuals without insurance coverage is to ignore the necessary care, mainly preventative, which could dramatically impact the long run cost curve downward on health service affordability.
Access and Cost
The Affordable Care Act expands the pool of the insured through private sector exchanges, tax credit enhancements, and greater access to Medicaid. Affordable coverage under either a private health plan, or Medicare and Medicaid allows individuals to utilize the services requisite for long-term health. A legitimate question however, is whether expansion of coverage will in fact explode costs even beyond their already significant upward trajectory? With coverage expansion there will be greater demand pressure on providers, yet this should also drive competitive rigor, allowing for cost containment across the system. As such the Commonwealth Fund, a private health reform organization, estimates that "expenditures for the whole health care system will be reduced by nearly 600 billion in the first decade" (Orszag, P. & Emanuel, E. August 12, 2010. P. 2). The bending of the cost curve downward though requires that the delivery system change concomitantly; with focus on coordinated care across "three 'I' platforms: information, infrastructure,
United States Health Care System The objective of this work in writing is to answer as to what is working with the U.S. health care system and what is not working with the U.S. health care system. This work will address the needed reforms and the current role of government in health care. Finally, this work will answer as to what the role of government should be in health care. This is
Healthcare System of Norway Health Policy of Norway Analysis of Health Policy Pressures on Health Care Delivery High Cost Ageing Population Increased Diseases Waiting-time Prioritization The healthcare systems are developed to provide necessary healthcare facilities. It is also aimed to maintain health of their citizen in compliance with the state and international regulations. Norway is considered as one of the country, holding prominent place in global economy as well as growth rate and per capita income (Pontusson2011). It
United States healthcare programs to citizens compare with the healthcare provided to residents in other countries? That question will be the focus of this paper, along with the background to the decision of major health insurance companies to support the candidacy of Republican Mitt Romney. Where does the U.S. stand in the world when it comes to healthcare? According to a statement by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John
Family Health When considering nursing practice for families, there is a tendency to think of the family as a static entity, existing as it is when first encountered -- and as frequently described in this paper. But families are not static; they evolve as people change and age. For any nurse who is fortunate enough to provide services to a family over a period of years, the challenge is to ensure
" (AAFP, nd) The Health Maintenance Organization further should "…negotiate with both public and private payers for adequate reimbursement or direct payment to cover the expenses of interpreter services so that they can establish services without burdening physicians…" and the private industry should be "…engaged by medical organizations, including the AAFP, and patient advocacy groups to consider innovative ways to provide interpreter services to both employees and the medically underserved." (AAFP,
Healthcare Why access to healthcare has become an issue in the U.S. According to a 2010 Gallup Poll, Americans named access to services the "top issue" in health care ("Americans Name Healthcare Access Top U.S. Health Issue," 2010). Empirical research also reveals that access is the top problem in the American health care system at the moment, as "tens of millions of adults under age 65 -- both those with insurance and