The Challenges and Rewards of Providing Health Care Around The World

Health care has been a major topic of debate over the last couple years, especially in the United States. The broken health care system of the U.S. has been ridiculed for being the only developed country that does not have a national health insurance plan that covers each and every citizen (Schneider, 2011). Other developed countries around the world have made examples of themselves by establishing insurance plans that cover every single person. However, these plans have had problems of their own. Even with these small problems, the United States could learn a lot from certain aspects of these countries flourishing health care systems.

The health care systems of the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland cover everyone and produce some of the best health statistics in the world. The best component of the United Kingdom's health care system is that it takes the weight of paying medical bills off the shoulders of its citizens entirely by the government paying for health care (Palfreman, 2008). Citizens contribute to their health care only by paying the taxes that fund it, which seems like a much better idea than paying hundreds of dollars monthly just for insurance. An major aspect of the Japanese health care system that contributes to its success is the fact that everybody must purchase some sort of health insurance (Palfreman, 2008). The poor are given aid in order to pay for their premiums. The best part of this is that insurance companies are forbidden from turning down anyone, so everyone is covered despite any past illnesses. Germany also provides health insurance to all their citizens, and cannot turn down anyone (Palfreman, 2008). They, also, give public assistance to those who cannot pay for thei...

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... in order to make this health care reform work.

Works Cited

Palfreman, Jon. (Producer). (2008, April 15). Sick Around the World. [Television Broadcast]. Boston, MA: Frontline and Palfreman Film Group.

Palfreman, Jon. (Producer). (2009, March 31). Sick Around America. [Television Broadcast]. Boston, MA: Frontline and Palfreman Film Group.

Schneider, Mary-Jane. "Why the U.S. Medical System Needs Reform." Introduction to Public Health. 3rd ed. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett, 2011. 459-71. Print.

"Summary of Coverage Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Kaiser Family Foundation." The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation - Health Policy, Media Resources, Public Health Education & South Africa - Kaiser Family Foundation. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 19 Apr. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .