Healthcare In The United States vs. The United Kingdom

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Compare and contrast healthcare in the United States and United Kingdom

In the contemporary world, America is one of the greatest countries. From the polio vaccine to Coca Cola, United States is mother to many inventions. As Americans, we enjoy higher quality living standards than most other parts of the world. This pleasure-oriented lifestyle makes a lot of other nations envious of us. And with the envy comes antipathy. For the time it has existed, the American healthcare system has been a subject of scrutiny and debate.

The United States health care system ranks 37th in the world. Statistically, it’s bizarre how United States is amongst one of the most advanced nations in the world and the fact that it spends more on its healthcare than any other country, yet its standards are incomparable to other European nations. Unlike most countries, America doesn’t have universal coverage for health care. This means that it is the responsibility of an average American to obtain health insurance either through private insurance companies or through their employer. Under this system, there is a notion of a certain premium due at regular intervals of time but the insured may need to “co-pay” or pay a certain deductible for their treatment before their insurance takes care of the rest.

American health care system does cater to all its citizens. These are publicly funded. Medicare is one of the most important schemes in the healthcare scene of United States. It supports the senior citizens. It is funded by a special payroll tax under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Medicaid, for low-income earners, is administered by the individual states; and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-Chip) is intended to provide insurance co...

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...uk/2/hi/americas/8160058.stm>.

Zablit, Jocelyne. “US Health System Ranks Last Compared to Other Countries.” Commondreams.org. 15 May 2007. 13 October 2009. < http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/15/1198>.

“Most Republicans Think the U.S. Health Care System is the Best in the World. Democrats Disagree.” HARVARD School of Public Health. 20 March 2008. Harvard School. 13 October 2009. < http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2008-releases/republicans-democrats-disagree-us-health-care-system.html>.

Harrell, Eben. “Is Britain’s Health-Care System Really That Bad?” Time. August 18 2009. 13 October 2009. < http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1916570,00.html>.

“The World Health Organization’s ranking of the world’s health system.” Photius Coutsoukis. 29 February 2007. 13 October 2009. < http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html>.

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