Access to preventive health care should not be definable as one of life’s luxuries, yet that is what is has come to be for the approximately “50 million Americans” who have no health insurance (Turka & Caplan, 2010). Clogged emergency rooms and “preventable deaths” are just two of the consequences associated with the lack of health insurance that would provide access to preventive care (Turka & Caplan, 2010). We as a nation are depriving our citizens of one of our most basic needs—being healthy. Countries that have universal health plans, like Japan and Germany, have better life expectancy rates, spend less on health care, and have more than double the number of its citizens insured (Stephens & Ledlow, 2010). While the debate over universal health care rages on here in the United States, we are ultimately spending more “on healthcare” while offering “fewer services to (our) citizens (Stephens & Ledlow, 2010). Access to primary care could make all the difference in what we as a country spend on healthcare for those who cannot afford it. Many people with no insurance coverage will wait to seek healthcare until their illness becomes much more complicated that it would have been if they could have afforded to visit a primary care physician when they first started feeling ill (Stephens & Ledlow, 2010). For the indigent and working poor, visiting a doctor often means not paying a utility bill or it may even prevent them from buying groceries. “Fifteen percent of low-income adults find it difficult to afford food” which means there is little chance that they will have health insurance (Hoffman & Paradise, 2008).The cost of providing these people with coverage that would give them access to a primary care physician has to be much le... ... middle of paper ... ... States. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1136, 149-160. doi:10.1196/annals.1425.007 Kim, H., & Viner-Brown, S. (2010, May). Health status and health care utilization among children in rhode island, 2007: Comparing children with public insurance and children with private insurance. Medicine & Health Rhode Island, 93(5), 155-157. Stephens, J. H., & Ledlow, G. R. (2010, October). Real healthcare reform: Focus on primary care access. Hospital Topics, 88(4), 98-106. doi:10.1080/00185868.2010.528259 Turka, L. A., & Caplan, A. L. (2010, April). The right to health care. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 120(4), 934. Wharam, J. F., Galbraith, A. A., Kleinman, K. P., Soumeral, S. B., Ross-Degnan, D., & Landon, B. E. (2008, March 6). Cancer screening before and after switching to a high-deductible health plan. Annals of Internal Medicine, 148(9), 647-W132.
On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.
In recent years, the number of Americans who are uninsured has reached over 45 million citizens, with millions more who only have the very basic of insurance, effectively under insured. With the growing budget cuts to medicaid and the decreasing amount of employers cutting back on their health insurance options, more and more americans are put into positions with poor health care or no access to it at all. At the heart of the issue stems two roots, one concerning the morality of universal health care and the other concerning the economic effects. Many believe that health care reform at a national level is impossible or impractical, and so for too long now our citizens have stood by as our flawed health-care system has transformed into an unfixable mess. The good that universal healthcare would bring to our nation far outweighs the bad, however, so, sooner rather than later, it is important for us to strive towards a society where all people have access to healthcare.
A strong primary care foundation is fundamental to constructing an effective health care system. Patients who have regular access to a primary care physician are more likely than those who do not to receive the necessary preventative care before their conditions become too difficult or expensive to treat (Bindman, Grumbach, Osmond, Vranizan & Stewart, 1996). Additionally, primary care physicians are significant to providing better care to low-income patients. Access to primary care correlates positively with better management of chronic conditions and reduced mortality (Starfield, Shi & Macinko, 2005). Despite the necessity of primary care in regards to health system performance, there has been little value and investment in primary care for decades (McGlynn et al., 2003). Consequently, health care in the U.S. is left poorly coordinated and expensive.
In consequence, this will limit poor adults finding the proper treatment since many doctors do not accept Medicaid patients. High rates of uninsured populations were associated with lower primary care capacity (Ku et al., 2011). Thus, expanding insurance coverage can support more primary care practices in rural areas and can help equal the gap in primary care positions. The impact of not expanding affects APRN practice by limiting them to practice in areas where they are needed the most. This not only affects APRNs from practicing without a physician supervision but also limit those that need coverage for basic preventive measures to reduce non-paying visits to the emergency room. Ensuring access to care will be contingent upon the ability to attain progress from insurance coverage and primary
spends about 15% of its gross domestic product on healthcare, thereby making it the largest sector of the economy” (Goldman, D., & McGlynn, E., 2005). “Americans are not healthier than some of the other developed nations, regardless of these extensive costs” (WHO, 2010). “Almost 40 million Americans are uninsured and about 18% of Americans under the age of 65 receive half of the recommended healthcare services” (Goldman, D., & McGlynn, E., 2005). “Though, quality of care was noted not to vary much in cities with respect to lack of insurance, poverty, penetration of managed care and availability of physicians and hospital beds” (Goldman, D., & McGlynn, E., 2005).
The implementation of a universal health care system in the United States is an important challenge that needs to be overcome. There are numerous amount of editorial that argue on both sides of the debate. Some people argue that a universal health care system would bring costs down and increase access to care while others argue that a universal health care system would be too expensive and reduce the quality of care. The correct answer requires intensive understanding and economics to overcome, the arguments must be examined for a proper answer.
It is also an issue that affects almost everyone in our great nation. The reasons for and against a Universal Health Care are many and both sides can make justified arguments. Over the last few decades, the United States has witnessed skyrocketing health care costs. Health insurance premiums have been rising on average by double-digit percentage points and even more recently, a rate of increase that is 2-3 times the rate of inflation. Because of these out-of-control health care costs, there has been a steep rise in the number of uninsured Americans. Currently, more than 45 million Americans lack any form of health insurance, and millions more have insurance, but lack adequate financial protection from health care costs. Many in the USA believe that a universal health care system would bring about changes that would improve the quality of life for everyone, but my purpose for writing this essay was not to make mind-blowing suggesting on how to create a universal health care system that is accessible across all the United States. That I will leave for the policy experts to figure out. My goal here was to simply show why this is a public issue and why it is so important that we pay close attention to the conversation about a universal health care system in the US because it really does, affect every one
Although health insurance can be beneficial because providers get paid for the services they provide to the patient the insurance premiums and deductibles are in many instances way more than many families across the United States can afford. With these extremely high costs for insurance statics show that over 40 million families’ can’t afford or have access to needed health care systems. “It shows that one-fifth of Americans couldn 't afford one or more of these services: medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care, or eyeglasses (R...
Even during the worst economic downturn, the advantages of a universal health care system remain hidden from society. Instead, the adverse impacts continue to occupy the minds of many Americans. Misguidedly, citizens are repeatedly ensnared into ideological disputes inc...
Niles, N. J. (2011). Basics of the U.S. health care system. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
One of the most commonly debated topics in recent American history has been that of health care. Would Americans be able to reap more benefits if individuals continue to be independent in their pursuits of health care, or would it be beneficial for all if the government introduced more regulations regarding health care, changing our system to resemble those of other developed countries? As more solutions are offered, it becomes harder for people to reach a consensus on the best way to approach this issue. Despite this, America must decide what system of healthcare will benefit the most citizens and improve the quality of life the most. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a universal healthcare system would be the most effective and
Even after all the debate conserning ObamaCare, the United States still lacks a health care system that provides insurance for all citizens. With an economy that is weak, and a high rate of unemployment, this represents a serious problem. In other countries, where insurance is mandatory, medical bill are rarely paid by the average citizen. Healthcare in the United States is must be given to everyone, but it’s the matter of affording to pay the medical bills, and being accepted by an insurance company that is the main issue. In the video Sick Around the World, it introduces five countries and how their health care works, while the video Sick Around America emphasizes the problems with our health care system, and shows individual stories of those impacted.
Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...
According to healthypeople.gov, a person’s ability to access health services has a profound effect on every aspect of his or her health, almost 1 in 4 Americans do not have a primary care provider or a health center where they can receive regular medical services. Approximately 1 in 5 A...
Health insurance facilitates entry into the health care system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care and more likely to have poor health. Many Americans are foregoing medical care because they cannot afford it, or are struggling to pay their medical bills. “Adults in the US are more likely to go without health care due to cost” (Schoen, Osborn, Squires, Doty, & Pierson, 2010) Many of the currently uninsured or underinsured are forced accept inferior plans with large out-of-pocket costs, or are not be able to afford coverage offered by private health insurers. This lack of adequate coverage makes it difficult for people to get the health care they need and can have a particularly serious impact on a person's health and stability.