Healthcare in the United States

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Healthcare in the United States is rooted in the private sector. The private sector directly funds 56% of the expenditures through private health insurance, household expenditures and copays, and other private expenditures. (CMS, 2014) The US healthcare system can thank the private sector for providing much strength such as new diagnostic technologies, innovative treatments and procedures, and dynamism. American hospitals and physicians are regarded internationally as being of high quality. Americans can also be proud that the physician- patient relationship is among the most trusted and valued relationships in the country. By allowing the private sector to take a lead role in the healthcare system, the United States values individual responsibility and freedom of choice. Despite all of the problems with the healthcare system, 82% of Americans rate their healthcare quality as excellent or good. (Mendes, 2012) Patients can choose their preferred doctor to provide care and physicians can choose where and how to practice medicine. The private sector orientation of the US healthcare system provides its strengths.
Despite these strengths, the United States healthcare system also has many weaknesses. Healthcare delivery is fragmented. Specialists often do not work in concert with Primary Care Providers. (Cebul, et al, 2008) When patients are transferred between providers, often there is little to no coordination of care. (Cebul, et al, 2008) On average, Medicare patients see two primary care physicians and five specialists per year. (Elhauge, 2010). Medicare patients with chronic illnesses see thirteen physicians per year. (Elhauge, 2010). Each of the many physicians focus only on one specific illness or the body part ...

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...llinois Law & Economics Research Paper No. LE09-012. Available at SSRN: http://classroom/abstract=1377051 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1377051

Jencks, S. F., Williams, M. V., & Coleman, E. A. (2009). Re-hospitalizations among patients in the Medicare fee-for-service program. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(14), 1418-1428.

Menachemi, N., & Collum, T. (2011) Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3270933/

Orszag, P. R., & Emanuel, E. J. (2010). Health Care Reform and Cost Control. New England Journal of Medicine, 363(7), 601-603.doi:10.1056/NEJMp1006571

Stange, K. C., Nutting, P. A., Miller, W. L., Jaén, C. R., Crabtree, B. F., Flocke, S. A., & Gill, J. M. (2010). Defining and measuring the patient-centered medical home. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(6), 601-612.

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