Introduction Health care reform has been a topic of discussion in the United States since the early 19th century. According to Wikipedia, the earliest health care proposal at the federal level was the 1854 bill proposed by Dorothea Dix. The bill was approved by both houses of congress, but was veto by President Franklin Pierce. At that time, the president argued that that the federal government should not commit to social welfare, he believed that to be the responsibility of the states (Wikipedia.com). The United States has struggled with developing a comprehensive national health care plan for all of its citizens. There are many impediments to deal with concerning passing legislation for a thorough plan. National health care has been discussed, debated, studied, hoped for and advocated against. Funding a national health care plan by the federal government is a daunting task. We will attempt to identify some of the most prominent factors involved in the national health care debate. This paper will point out key facts pertaining to the history of the national health care idea in the United States, the attempts to introduce and pass legislation. Health care reform is a controversial topic in governments around the world, especially with each country striving to create development that establish good policies and guidelines to ensure medical safety and protection of their citizens. From a general standpoint, healthcare reform is a phrase used to describe main health policy creations mostly by governmental policies that affect health care delivery within the government’s jurisdiction. According to Harrington & Crawford (2004), healthcare reforms attempts to achieve one or all of the following: • Increase the percentage of ... ... middle of paper ... ...ds and Approaches Research Triangle Institute. David, A. L. (2008). The development of American public health. Washington: Proquest. Harrington, C. & Crawford, C. (2004). Health policy: crisis and reform in the U.S Healthcare delivery system. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. The Staff of the Washington Post. (2010). Landmark: The inside story of America’s new health- care law and what it means for all of us. New York, NY: Public Affairs. Weissert, C. & Weissert, W. (2006). Governing Health: The Politics of Health Policy Governing Health. New York: JHU Press. Yeboah, D. (2007). Impact of population variables on health services demand and provision in the United Arab Emirates. Arab Studies Quarterly, 29(1): 61-70. Wikipedia.org. (n.d.) Retrieved March 2, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_health_care_reform_in_the_United_States
Wekesser, Carol. Health Care in America: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego, CA. Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1994.
During the study of various reforms that were proposed and denied, both the GOP and Democrats attempted to find a balance that would guarantee the success of their proposals. Years of research, growing ideologies, political views and disregard for the country's constitution sparked an array of alternatives to solve the country's healthcare spending. The expenditure of US healthcare dollars was mostly due to hospital reimbursements, which constitute to 30% (Longest & Darr, 2008). During the research for alternatives, the gr...
Healthcare has been a topic of discussion with the majority of the country. Issues with insurance coverage, rising costs, limited options to gain coverage, and the quality of healthcare have become concerns for law makers, healthcare providers and the general public. Some of those concerns were alleviated with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, but new concerns have developed with problems that have occurred in the implementation of the new law. The main concerns of the country are if the Affordable Care Act will be able to overcome the issues that plagued the old healthcare system, the cost of the program, and how will the new law affect the quality of the health delivery system.
Daschle, Tom, Scott S. Greenberger, and Jeanne M. Lambrew. Critical: what we can do about the health-care crisis. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2008. Print.
Peterson, Mark A. "It Was A Different Time: Obama And The Unique Opportunity For Health Care Reform." Journal Of Health Politics, Policy & Law 36.3 (2011): 429-436.Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Longest Jr., B.B (2009) Health Policy making in the United States (5th Edition). Chicago, IL: HAP/AUPHA.
America is known for democracy, freedom, and the American Dream. American citizens have the right to free speech, free press, the right to bear arms, and the right to religious freedom to name a few. The Declaration of Independence states that American citizens have the rights including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” America promises equality and freedom and the protection of their rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. But with all the rights and freedoms that American citizens enjoy, there is one particular area where the United States seems to be lacking. That area is health care. The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t have some form of legal recognition of a right to health care (Yamin 1157). Health care reform in the United States has become a major controversy for politicians, health care professionals, businesses, and citizens. Those in opposition to reform claim that health care is not a human right, therefore the government should not be involved. Supporters of reform believe that health care is most definitely a human right and should be available to everyone in the United States instead of only those who can afford it, and that it is the government’s responsibility to uphold that right.
Park, Han. Broken system: The U.S. has failed at health care. 27 Oct. 2007. 16 November
Health care advancements in America are notably the best in the world. We continually strive for preventions and cures of diseases. America has the best medical scientists and physicians that specialize in their medical fields. According to Joseph A. Califano Jr. (2003), "what makes America health care system great is its ability to attract the finest minds in our society," that can help the sick by preventing and curing medical complications. (p. 18). We are noted worldwide for our medical care and physicians from other countries jump at the opportunity to join the American medical system.
Niles, N. J. (2011). Basics of the U.S. health care system. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
A country’s health care system refers to all the institutions, programs, personnel, procedures, and the resources that are used to meet the health needs of its population. Health care systems vary from one country to another, depending on government policies and the health needs of the population. Besides, health care programs are flexible in the sense that they are tailored to meet health needs as they arise. Among the stakeholders in the formulation of a country’s health care system are governments, religious groups, non-governmental organizations, charity organizations, trade/labor unions, and interested individuals (Duckett, 2008). These entities formulate, implement, evaluate, and reform health services according to the needs of the sections of the population they target.
The need for universal health care within the United States has been evident, and needed to be addressed. The old healthcare system was plagued with issues, including expensive premiums that were on the rise, along with an inflated average infant mortality rate and limited average life expectancy, which ultimately led to many people being left uninsured (“Affordable” 2). In the 2012 presidential election, one key issue was how to reform America’s broken health care system, and to instate a successful universal healthcare system that has resolved the previous issues. Being one of the last influential and competitive countries in the world without universal healthcare, the pressure was on for the United States to develop their own system. Since Barack Obama became president, Obamacare, instead of the proposed Romneycare, was born.
What Seems To Be The Problem? A discussion of the current problems in the U.S. healthcare system.
The US health system has both considerable strengths and notable weaknesses. With a large and well-trained health workforce, access to a wide range of high-quality medical specialists as well as secondary and tertiary institutions, patient outcomes are among the best in the world. But the US also suffers from incomplete coverage of its population, and health expenditure levels per person far exceed all other countries. Poor measures on many objective and subjective indicators of quality and outcomes plague the US health care system. In addition, an unequal distribution of resources across the country and among different population groups results in poor access to care for many citizens. Efforts to provide comprehensive, national health insurance in the United States go back to the Great Depression, and nearly every president since Harry S. Truman has proposed some form of national health insurance.
Barton, P.L. (2010). Understanding the U.S. health services system. (4th ed). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.