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Major issue with the American health system
Health care problems in america
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Recommended: Major issue with the American health system
Medical care is one of the most debated topics in the United States today. About 50 million people in the United States are completely uninsured or are not completely covered. These people are at risk. The United States needs to adopt a universal health system because health care is a right that all Americans deserve. 45 million Americans lacked insurance in 2005. That is more than fifteen percent of the population. In addition, health care costs are currently rising faster and faster, so, even for those who are insured it is harder to pay for these services. Government regulation and a universal system could help keep costs affordable. Some people can not buy private insurance, even if they can afford it. This is because insurance companies can reject people who have pre-existing conditions that would make them expensive to insure. A universal system would ensure that everyone can receive medical care regardless of pre-existing conditions. As a result, more people could look for preventive services, such as annual check-ups, to maintain good health and detect problems early. Even for insured persons, co-payments and insurance premiums are too high …show more content…
Government regulation, the loss of jobs and the omnipresent problem of how to pay for universal medical care are factors that this country is not prepared to overcome. Most universal health care proposals are based on government administration. Government administration could make patients have fewer options about which doctors to see. It could also mean that patients would receive worse attention or would have to wait longer to receive care. Some people even worry that personal information will be compromised because it would be regulated by the government. The idea that people who are currently privately insured may face a decrease in the quality of care might be even
While most countries around the world have some form of universal national health care system, the United States, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, does not. There are much more benefits to the U.S. adopting a dorm of national health care system than to keep its current system, which has proved to be unnecessarily expensive, complicated, and overall inefficient.
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.
The author includes that there would be no way to pay for the system and then lists logical reasons as of why paying for the health care system would fail. The author also includes that creating a universal health care system would cause unemployment to those who are employed in the insurance industry, appealing to his readers with pathos. Finally, the author argues that universal health care would dramatically decrease the quality of health care because more patients would be going in to see the small amount of doctors that are in the US, causing the system to get backed
In conclusion, there still needs to be a lot of work done to health care in the United States. Other nations provide universal health care to their citizens, but this would cause dilemmas in balancing two often conflicting policy goals: providing the public with equitable access to needed pharmaceuticals while controlling the costs. Universal health care probably would not work in the U.S. because our nation is so diverse and our economy is so complex. The system we have now obviously has its problems, and there is a lot of rom for improvement. HMO’s will still create problems for people and their medical bills, but they definitely should be monitored to see that their patients are receiving just treatment.
Universal health care refers to any system of health care managed by the government. The health care system may cover different programs including government run hospitals and health organizations and programs targeted at providing health care. Many developed countries such as Canada and United Kingdom have embraced universal health care with the United States being the only exception. The present U.S health care system has often been considered inefficient in terms of cost control as millions of Americans remain uncovered. This has made it the subject of a heated debate characterized by people who argue that the country requires a kind of socialized system that will permit increased government participation. Others have tended to support privatized health care, or a combined model of private and universal health care that will permit private companies to offer health care for a specific fee. Universal healthcare has numerous advantages that remain hidden from society. First, the federal government can apply economies of scale in managing health facilities which would reduce health care expenses. Second, all unnecessary expenses would be eliminated by requiring all states to bring together all the insurance companies into a single entity whose mandate would be to provide health insurance to all people. Lastly, increased government participation will guarantee quality care, improve access to medical services and address critical problems relating to market failure.
Healthcare professionals want only to provide the best care and comfort for their patients. In today’s world, advances in healthcare and medicine have made their task of doing so much easier, allowing previously lethal diseases to be diagnosed and treated with proficiency and speed. A majority of people in the United States have health insurance and enjoy the luxury of convenient, easy to access health care services, with annual checkups, preventative care, and their own personal doctor ready to diagnose and provide treatment for even the most trivial of symptoms. Many of these people could not imagine living a day without the assurance that, when needed, medical care would not be available to themselves and their loved ones. However, millions of American citizens currently live under these unimaginable conditions, going day to day without the security of frequent checkups, prescription medicine, or preventative medicines that could prevent future complications in their health. Now with the rising unemployment rates due to the current global recession, even more Americans are becoming uninsured, and the flaws in the United States’ current healthcare system are being exposed. In order to amend these flaws, some are looking to make small changes to fix the current healthcare system, while others look to make sweeping changes and remodel the system completely, favoring a more socialized, universal type of healthcare system. Although it is certain that change is needed, universal healthcare is not the miracle cure that will solve the systems current ailments. Universal healthcare should not be allowed to take form in America as it is a menace to the capitalist principle of a free market, threatens to put a stranglehold on for-...
Health insurance, too many American citizens, is not an option. However, some citizens find it unnecessary. Working in the health care field, I witness the effects of uninsured patients on medical offices. Too often, I see a “self-pay” patient receive care from their doctor and then fail to pay for it. Altogether, their refusal to pay leaves the office at a loss of money and calls for patients to pay extra in covering for the cost of the care the uninsured patient received. One office visit does not seem like too big of an expense, but multiple patients failing to pay for the care they receive adds up. Imagine the hospital bills that patients fail to pay; health services in a hospital are double, sometimes triple, in price at a hospital. It is unfair that paying patients are responsible for covering these unpaid services. Luckily, the Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010, otherwise known as Obamacare. Obamacare is necessary in America because it calls for all citizens to be health insured, no worrying about pre-existing conditions, and free benefits for men and women’s health.
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.
Universal healthcare: a term feared by many politicians due to the communist connotation, but is it really all that bad? Over 58 countries have some sort of universal health coverage, such as England and France which have single payer healthcare meaning the government provides insurance for all citizens and pays for all healthcare expenses. The United States of America has insurance mandated healthcare meaning the government requires all citizens to purchase insurance, usually provided through their jobs. In America, over 45 million people are uninsured, 20,000 of which will die by the end of the year compared to England or Frances were all residents, legal or not, are covered.
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.
Universal Healthcare by definition means healthcare for all. That would also mean that an insured persons rates would not be increased to cover the uninsured. Universal Healthcare is moral and just obligation. By promoting the health of our citizens we then promote our infrastructure as well.
The main ones are increasing taxation, the effect it will have on the type of government in America, it will limit the choice in medical care, cause a longer wait for care, and there is the issue of people that are already "grandfathered" into plans that they have already purchased. There are many people that are concerned about the constitutional authority of the country by forcing universal health care upon the citizens. Maybe people believe that by doing this, the government of the United States is heading more toward a democracy and less of a constitutional republic. The next major problem is how the government will pay for the program that provides healthcare to every citizen. The two options are, the government pays for it with their own revenue or the taxpayers money goes towards it. The government is already in debt, which leaves the cost up to the taxpayers money. There is no possible way for medical care to be free and taxes to go up. The other major concern is how the people who have already purchased health insurance, or are grandfathered into a plan, get reimbursed for their
If there were to be a universal healthcare it would mean that every citizen would be able to be covered and that there would be no discrimination as to who should be covered. People that already have an illness, families that are too poor or unemployed citizens who cannot get coverage from the jobs they do not have will be able to have a chance to get the health coverage that they need. The purpose of the U.S. Constitution is to “promote the general welfare” of the people and health fits along the guidelines to the general welfare, so healthcare for all citizens is a legitimate function that the government must do. The right to healthcare is an internationally known human right. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948 and stated that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of oneself and one’s family including…medical care” ( qtd.
The need for improved and less expensive healthcare in the United States has attracted people to form a group advocating for universal healthcare. Some of the major points of the organization are to enhance healthcare accessibility, make healthcare more affordable through the creation of new products and services, integrate technology in healthcare delivery for easier navigation, and also improve healthcare standards for the entire American population. Despite the expected positive implications of having a universal healthcare program in the country, some people are not aware of its presence. In this regard, it is important to discuss the need for universal healthcare in the United States and also its negative aspects; this will provide sufficient
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.