Universal health insurance system in Ireland vision (2012-2015): is aiming for a single-tier health service which provides equal access to all based on need, not ability to pay delivering the best health outcomes for the Irish citizens. (1) Graph -1- The Universal Health Insurance (UHI) system vision (2) The WHO has stated that UHI once implemented appropriately has shown to improve health indicators (as infant mortality life expectancy) and prove service user satisfaction, lowers the costs of healthcare when compared with other funding methods and contribute to a stronger economic development, including a reduction of poverty levels so will pay back the budget invested in it. (2) UHI coverage also called Social Health Insurance (SHI) can be looked upon as a cube with three dimensions (see below) each dimension is representing a vital area that has to be addressed when considering UHI policy, the smaller filled cube represents the actual available free health services for the population and the bigger cube represents free good quality health services for all (social solidarity) which is funded from the prepaid pooled funds. (2) The free health services for all is not happening for the time being because of financial constraints but the coverage area will expand with time as more resources become available from back pay of the initial UHI coverage. (2) Graph 2 -The three dimensions of coverage decision (3) The health sector in Ireland is in a critical situation and by looking at different models over the globe the Irish policy makers were inspired by the Dutch health system, arguing that “The Netherlands spends only slightly more than us on health on a per capita basis, but has minimal waiting lists and is ranked number one i... ... middle of paper ... ...ams. JAMA 2012, 307:2153–2154. (16) Culyer AJ: Hic sunt dracones: the future of health technology assessment–one economist's perspective. Med Decis Making 2012, 32:E25–E32. (17) Kutzin J. Health financing for universal coverage and health system performance: concepts and implications for policy. World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2013 08; 91(8):602-11. (18) Claire Daley and James Gubb Healthcare Systems: The Netherlands Updated by Emily Clarke (December 2011) and Elliot Bidgood (January 2013) (19) Bakx, P., de Meijer, C., Schut, F. and van Doorslaer, E. (2014), GOING FORMAL OR INFORMAL, WHO CARES? THE INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE. Health Econ.. doi: 10.1002/hec.3050 (20) Moreno-Serra R, Smith PC. Does progress towards universal health coverage improve population health? The Lancet 2012 Sep 08;380(9845):917-23.
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.
Newman, Alex. “Examining Healthcare: A Look Around the Globe at Nationalized Systems.” The New American. 15 Sep. 2008: 10. eLibrary. Web. 04 Nov. 2013.
National health systems are assessed by the extent to which expenditure and actions in public health and medical care contributes to the crucial social goals of improving health, increasing access to quality healthcare, reducing health disparities, protecting citizens from penury due to medical e...
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.
Out of all the industrialized countries in the world, the United States is the only one that doesn’t have a universal health care plan (Yamin 1157). The current health care system in the United States relies on employer-sponsored insurance programs or purchase of individual insurance plans. Employer-sponsored coverage has dropped from roughly 80 percent in 1982 to a little over 60 percent in 2006 (Kinney 809). The government does provide...
More than one-third of Americans who are between the ages of nineteen and twenty-four are uninsured. This is because most insurance is provided through a person’s job, and entry-level jobs which isn 't available for all young students. In addition, healthcare costs are currently rising faster than inflation, which means that salary increases cannot compensate for the higher prices of health care. Government regulation and a universal system could help keep costs affordable. A universal system would guarantee that everyone could receive health care regardless of preexisting conditions. Consequently, more people would be able to seek preventative services, like checkups, to maintain good health and detect problems early. Too frequently, people avoid taking preventative health measures until something is too late because of how expensive it is. While there 's a debate over how the U.S. should pay for a universal healthcare system, a good idea is to study the ways several other countries have successfully implemented such a system. Europe has a system in which all residents pay into a common fund that creates a pool of money and provides benefits to all. We must figure out a way to effectively adopt a universal healthcare system that provides care to all
The World Health Organization defines universal health care as, “ensuring that all people can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship.” This means that every citizen of a country will have access to health care; if someone cannot attain it themselves, then the government will provide it. This topic is controversial because the state provides health care funding for every citizen; it can easily be described as being socialistic. Also, without state provided care, every citizen may not have access to the level of care needed due to costs. This topic is especially relevant because thirty two of the thirty three developed nations have universal health care with the United States as the exception. However, recently the United States has adopted the Affordable Care Act, which possess traits of universal health care. Universal health care is not a good choice for society for three reasons. The first is that it lowers quality of care. Also, the whole system and the way it is set up could certainly be a burden on taxpayers and the government which could lead to some major debts. Third, it would be easy for people to abuse the system.
Have you ever gotten hurt and worried about having to go to the doctor and the financial burden it would have on you? Did you ever wish that you could afford healthcare that would cover you and no cost you thousands of dollars? Recently, the US has been considering a Universal Healthcare System to provide all citizens with affordable healthcare. However, they are at an impasse due to the acknowledgment of not just the gains of a Universal Healthcare System but also the burdens it can impose on the US as a whole. The US must address everything good and bad before deciding whether a Universal Healthcare System would be what is best for the US and the people living in it.
It is also an issue that affects almost everyone in our great nation. The reasons for and against a Universal Health Care are many and both sides can make justified arguments. Over the last few decades, the United States has witnessed skyrocketing health care costs. Health insurance premiums have been rising on average by double-digit percentage points and even more recently, a rate of increase that is 2-3 times the rate of inflation. Because of these out-of-control health care costs, there has been a steep rise in the number of uninsured Americans. Currently, more than 45 million Americans lack any form of health insurance, and millions more have insurance, but lack adequate financial protection from health care costs. Many in the USA believe that a universal health care system would bring about changes that would improve the quality of life for everyone, but my purpose for writing this essay was not to make mind-blowing suggesting on how to create a universal health care system that is accessible across all the United States. That I will leave for the policy experts to figure out. My goal here was to simply show why this is a public issue and why it is so important that we pay close attention to the conversation about a universal health care system in the US because it really does, affect every one
In the USA the quality and quanity of primary care will render better health for the people. Universal healthcare, “will be associated with better population health outcomes including lower mortality rates, rates of premature death and hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions and higher infant birth weight, life expectancy, and satifaction with the healthcare system”(Niti, Ng). “Studies in the US have also indicated that universal healthcare availabitity in community is correlated with both better health outcomes and decrease in utilization of more expensive types of health services” (Chang). Broader health care coverage leads to tremendous population health improvements. There are 45 million people in the USA that are uninsured, with universal healthcare every person will have access to care. This could mean life or death for many people, if they can catch an illness early that is improved healthcare. This should be obvious to the average person, the thought process should be to say yes the USA needs universal
The Australian health care system comprises both the public and the private health sub-sectors. The health care system concerns itself with the financing, formulation, implementation, evaluation, and reforming of health services. The main sources of f...
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.
A health care system that provides free health care services to its entire citizen can be termed as universal health care. This is a situation where all citizens are protected from financial costs in health care. It is recognized around the globe as it provides a specific package of benefits to all citizens in the entire nation. For instance, free health care can result to improved health outcomes. In addition, it provides financial risk protection and an improved access to health services. There is an increasing debate on how citizen should be provided with free medical services. Although United State does not permit free health care services it should have free health care for all citizens. This is due to the fact that healthcare is the largest industry in United State. Due to the fact that United State is a rich country, it should have a healthcare system that provides free services such as treatment for its entire citizen. This will play a significant role, as it will stop medical bankruptcies in...
High quality and less expensive healthcare can be achieved with a universal healthcare model. In fact, the United States is the...
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.