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Economics of healthcare
Impact of economic activities
Economics of healthcare
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Money is a powerful thing that plays an important role in various ways throughout a lifetime. Several of those ways involve keeping an individual alive. Purchasing food, medicine, and shelter are all crucial for survival. The cost for theses essential aspects, however, can be extremely expensive. The cost of medicine can run quit high, but insurance is a method of support. Sadly, insurance is not an option for all induvial that require medical care. According to a study conducted by Katherine Swartz, on average, approximately fourteen percent of those living above the poverty line are uninsured. The number is nearly twice that for individuals living at poverty level at an astounding twenty-five percent (Swartz 70). The option of Medicaid …show more content…
Holistic medicine could reduce the cost tremendously. The use of alternative techniques are less expensive because several of them do not cost a dime. Meditation is just one of the methods that can be practiced without spending any money. It is because of this reason that members of society need to become more open to the idea of another method of medicine. There needs to be an increase in teaching and awareness of this method of practices in society. Alternative therapies are primarily used in the well-educated, affluent individuals (Gilbert). Medical professionals should present this information to their patients as another methods of treatment. Once individuals broaden their horizons about the alternative methods available, holistic practices will become incorporated more into the use of medicine. In addition, the increase of holistic medicine will increase the amount of techniques available to ensure a healthier lifestyle. All citizens would have access to treatment whether they are wealthy or poor. All individuals deserve to have the option to end physical or mental …show more content…
Some of them are small, but others can mean the difference between life and death. The decisions that affect the health of an individual, however, should not be a challenge. Holistic and alternative medicine need to be considered as frequently as modern medicine in both society at large and current medical practices to create better long-term health, guarantee access to medicine for those who need it, and produce more affordable health care costs. Modern medicine, while better in certain situation, does not always produce better results. Holistic medicine provides countless natural ways to cure the pains of the body. The concern for the health of an individual should not stop when the pain disappears for the time being. Medicine must focus on the body throughout a lifetime. In addition, wellness should incorporate the whole body as found in the practice of holistic medicine. The methods of holistic medicine are less expensive and are more accessible to individuals. If society continues to have a one track mind on the type of medicine available, a large majority of individuals will not have access to proper care. Holistic and alternative medicine will incorporate more methods of treatment that will allow more access to medicine for all individuals. If society does not change, it will result in the wealthy being able to afford better health; those in poverty will have to suffer with the
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 United States spends vast amounts on its healthcare, while falling short of achieving superiority over other developed nations. One cannot overlook that the deepening recession has left many without jobs and therefore lacking health insurance. According to Fairhall and Steadman, (2009), even though the recession is hard on all, it is worse on the uninsured due to health care and insurance cost rising faster than incomes. Nevertheless, even those with jobs are lacking in health insurance due to employers, who provide insurance, are increasingly dropping their sponsored insurance. Many find that purchasing a health policy or paying for medical care out-of-pocket is cost prohibitive. “Since the recession began in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 3.6 million,” (Fairhall & Steadman, 2009). In 2009 it was stated that approximately 46 million Americans were uninsured, however not all of that number is due to the inability to afford coverage. According to a 2009 story written by Christopher Weaver of Kaiser Health News, 43% of that number should be classified as “voluntarily” uninsured. This subset of uninsured Americans consist of nearly half being young and healthy; therefo...
In today’s world, many people assume that the latest medical technology and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques for curing diseases and aliments are being used. These methods fall under the category of complementary and alternative medicine.
For many centuries, humanity has been on an eternal quest for cures and treatments for many chronic conditions. At the present time, conventional medicine is mostly performed by doctors and other health care professionals, with the extensive use of pharmaceutical drugs, surgery or radiation treatments for disease treatment. Conversely, even though not as popular, complementary and alternative medicine and treatment options are slowly gaining popularity and becoming an addition to traditional medicine.
Ross defines and differentiates between the terms healing and curing. She recognizes the fact that healing and curing are very intertwined and it can be hard to distinguish between the two terms. There are differences between the definitions in scholarly and general settings. She references an ethnographic study of healing versus curing conducted by anthropologists Andrew Strathern and Pamela Stewart in 1999 with native groups in New Guinea. The results of the study looked at how energy used by the different types of tribal healers to either cure or heal a patient. Eastern medicine focuses on how energy interacts with the healing process in connection within the mind. Whereas Western medicine is focused on the mind and the body separately. The practice is considered a holistic approach to finding cures. According to Ross (2013), healing is more a therapeutic process targeting the whole body and specific illness including emotional, mental, and social aspects in the treatment. The act of curing is a pragmatic approach that focuses on removing the problem all together. The life experiences of a person playing into how well certain treatments will heal or cure what is ailing them. These aspects can not be defined with textbook definitions. The interaction that the healing process has with energy is a variable in the success rate. Uncontrolled emotions can have a greater impact on the inside the body than a person can realize. The exploration of energy interaction within the body can be used for greater analysis of health care systems. (21-22). Are Western healthcare facilities purposely “curing” patients just so that they return are few years later? Is Western Medicine built upon a negative feedback loop? The terminolo...
Medicaid is a broken system that is largely failing to serve its beneficiary’s needs. Despite its chronic failures to deliver quality health care, Medicaid is seemingly running up a gigantic tab for tax payers (Frogue, 2003). Medicaid’s budget woes are secondary to its insignificant structure, leaving its beneficiaries with limited choices, when arranging for their own health care. Instead, regulations are set in order to drive costs down; instead of allowing Medicaid beneficiaries free rein to choose whom they will seek care from (Frogue, 2003)
Clearly, the Medicaid program is ripe for a major overhaul, a task that the federal government has thus far been unwilling to undertake. I chose this topic because I believe that the Medicaid program can be rescued and revitalized by leadership; otherwise, it is likely to be eroded. Medicaid is a government-sponsored program whose objective is to provide patients with health assistance upon meeting specific criteria. Medicaid is an insurance program that is available for disadvantaged persons, including the elderly, who cannot afford health benefits because of low incomes or other factors. This program is subsidized by government funds and in many instances, will cover the costs of basic medical care as well as specialized testing and supplies. What are the problems with Medicaid and what should be done about them? This paper will look at 6 articles about the economics of Medicaid and analyze what should be done about this problem.
The growing number of uninsured and underinsured is on the rise. In 1979, 11 million African americans were uninsured (Jaffe 10). Today, the number is 15 million and it is increasing every year (Jaffe 11). According to the Department of Health and Human Services, thirteen million blacks in America have health care and fourteen million do not (Fitzgerald 31). Also, those who are insured today may be at risk tomorrow if their employer drops coverage, or the head of the household changes or loses their job. Most blacks in the United States who are uninsured simply cannot receive health care at an affordable price because their employer does not offer it and self-insurance cost much more. The lack of adequate insurance can be devastating to families both in financial terms and in terms of timely access to needed health care (Jaffe 12). Altogether, collection agencies report every year that most blacks are in debt due to unpaid medical bills, because they are not insured or they are underinsured.
Many hospitals around the U.S. are currently offering holistic methods of care such as Sharp Healthcare in San Diego. The services offered there include; Acupuncture, Arts for Healing, Clinical Aromatherapy, Guided Imagery, Healing Touch, Holistic Healing, Massage Therapy, Qigong, Reflexology, and Yoga. All of these methods allow patients to receive an alternative intervention for treatment of conditions such as; anxiety, pain management, and stress. All of these are known conditions to negatively affect the healing process (Sharp, 2014). With all the diversity in the United States it is typically not the easiest task to adhere to a large population of differing preferences. With the implementation of holistic approaches to care, outpatient care, home health, physical therapy services, and many other ambulatory care settings can further align services with the ...
Western medicine has recently discovered the powerful affects of meditation, by allowing doctors to treat the body and the mind. In reality, the mind is a very misunderstood and unexplored region of the human existence. Modern science knows more about the composition of the earth than it does about the mechanics of the human brain. Yet, meditation thwarts all notions of modern medicine with its shocking ability to to take obscure visualizations and create physical responses in the body. Mahayana Buddhism, found mainly in the autonomous region of Tibet, has become the main reference and standard for meditation practices in the west. Tibetans have used meditation for centuries as treatment for illness, and now, modern medicine of the western world is just beginning to reap the benefits of this unique and unconventional treatment for a variety of physical and mental ailments. Once a practice reserved strictly for Buddhist monks, meditation has become a worldwide phenomenon. Simply enter “Buddhist meditation” into the any Inter...
It is estimated that around the world, 80% of people use herbal medicines as a primary health care through the World Health Organization("Herbal Medicine: MedlinePlus.").This makes sense, since some of the most populated places on earth are China and India which are third world nations that cannot afford and have not been modernized completely still sticking to ancient practice that are reliably for them.Even though the United States is a first world nation,Americans have a lower life expectancy and worse health care than all the other first world nations(Bland, DR. Jeffrey S). This fact is incredibly starling for the reason that the US has some most advanced treatments in the world.The problem is that contagious illness will not kill, but the chronic ones like heart disease and diabetes will kills society.“ Yet that is exactly the same medicine today as society face a tsunami of chronic disease that will cost on global economy 47 trillion dollars over the next 20 years and kill twice as many people around the world as infectious diseases(Bland, DR. Jeffrey S).”The truth is that treating the chronic disorders is not cheaper and is not realistic.The health care is like anything less it should be focused on preparing the problems the same as a someone would change the oil in their car so that it does not blow up the engine and the machining have to replace the whole thing.This is like what people are doing today, but unlike a car person cannot replace the engine when it is destroyed .Think about the numbers the facts is that if doctors were proving diseased that people could treat more people that more serious disease fully.Researcher could spend more time understanding the mind more and less threatening destroyed that still legitimately affects
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.
According to the data given, by CTISP Community Survey 2010 by a Central Texas Region, Health care has a direct correlation to a person’s income or lack thereof. Table 1 displays a graph of respondents to a community survey about Health Care Coverage. The graph contains income amounts from $15,000 to $85,000 and percentages of people who do not receive coverage based on their income. The graph shows the lower the income the less likely to afford coverage. Table 2 displays, of those who took the survey their reasons for having no Coverage. The reason with the highest percentage was “could not afford prem...
As increasing rates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are becoming intertwined within traditional western practice, it has begun to present itself as a social conundrum. It is believed that the first practices of alternative medicine date back to the mid eighteenth century where as ancient Egyptians were using forms of traditional medicine in the early 5th century BCE. Because it has not been practiced as long as traditional western medicine, it has been framed as a social phenomenon. Its growth is curious in that it is beginning to surface in “countries were Western science and scientific method generally are accepted as the major foundations for healthcare, and “evidence-based” practice is the dominant paradigm” (Coulter & Willis 2004). Current US policy and government regulations, like the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, have allowed for CAM to become an integrative part of modernity. This paper examines how the defining of CAM has influenced past and present societal reforms and how the lack of a singular, all encompassing definition was once problematic in CAM’s ability to converge with traditional western medicine. However, due to the growing appeal of CAM’s treatment methods, economic and political factors have paved a path a successful integration into modern medicine.
I define holistic health in this way because holistic health has numerous ways to attain a health and to approach the analysis of an illness. The modalities I learn in my holistic health class have made me to realize that there is more than one way to achieve the health and western medicine is not the only hope to reduce or cure the symptoms of any di...