Health care systems, rationing, health care as a right, definition of health, public health : What do you have to say about this family of topics? You have an exam question about your idea health care system -- put forth some of your ideas here for discussion.
Most of us believe that if there is a treatment available, no matter what it costs, and no matter what chance there is for a positive outcome, it should be made available to us. We get frustrated when we are told we can’t have it or we’ll have to pay extra for it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, since funds are limited, then our options are limited, too, in a variety of ways. There is self rationing, health Insurer rationing& government health care rationing.
First, should you run into a denial of care, you'll know why it's been denied, and will better understand how to go about combating it, should you want to do so.
Second, in the coming years you will hear more and more about Health care reform and why it will, or won't, affect how you receive care. The biggest arguments center on how payment should be handled; whether it should be handled as it is now with both government and private payers, or whether the United States should move to an all-government, single payer system.
Some experts in healthcare rationing will tell you that private health insurer rationing means that the insurers are the ones determining who is getting what care. They cite the fact that which treatment you receive has more to do with whether or not your insurer gives permission than what you and your doctor think would be best. Private insurers argue that if the government takes over all cost coverage of all healthcare, then the government will make healthcare decisions for patients.
Health care as a right: There is a outrageous number of 46.3 million people in the US were uninsured in 2008 according to the US Census Bureau. In 2007, health care expenditures totaled $2.2 trillion - 16.2% of the US economy. Health care is the largest industry in the US, employing more than 14 million people.
ReplyDeleteProponents of the right to health care argue that it would stop medical bankruptcies, improve public health, and reduce overall health care spending. They say that no one in the richest nation on earth should go without health care. A June 12-16, 2009 poll shows that 64% of Americans say health care should be a right.
Opponents argue that using tax revenue to provide health care to all Americans amounts to socialism and would decrease the quality and availability of health care for those who work hard to get medical coverage. They say it is not the government's responsibility to guarantee health coverage. My question is will Health Care Reform be repealed?
The definition of health is the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially : freedom from physical disease or pain.
Public health is the science and art of protecting and improving the health of communities through education , promotion of healthy lifestyle and research for disease and injury prevention.
Public health help improves the health and well being of people in local communities and around the globe
Our trip analyzed many different types of healthcare systems. The overarching themes of a good system involve universal healthcare, standardized costs, and low spending on administration. These ideas stem from the belief that people have a right to healthcare, and more importantly, the government has an obligation to ensure its population has this access.
ReplyDeleteMany systems also involve non-profit insurance agencies, however I believe this is unrealistic given the current for-profit setup for insurance agencies in the United States. It is important to realize that what works for another country may not be the best for our own. The best solution to the current healthcare crisis will modify the systems already in place, such as by allowing people access to affordable health insurance through means other than their employer, and preventing insurance agencies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Everyone should be required to purchase health insurance and buy into a large pool (small companies may band together) so that risk is more adequately distributed among the population.
Furthermore, a better healthcare system would invest more money in preventative care and primary care, as these keep healthcare costs down as the population ages. In addition, primary care is cheaper to provide than later care if a health condition goes uncared for. This idea comes from the fact that there are limited resources that must be properly rationed to have the best impact on society. I personally side with the strategy that provides the greatest good for the greatest number.
Before I write my full essay I have MUCH more research to do regarding both our current health care system and the various proposals put forth. For now, I see a problem in access to insurance. My initial thought on this is that we need some way of restructuring the groups who purchase insurance. Having insurance as a benefit through your employer doesn’t appear to be the best way, and why should purchasing health insurance be structured that differently from car or home insurance? Is there a reason that a region cannot become a pool? Now it is costly for an individual to purchase their own insurance, if no one had it through their employer and everyone had to go to an office and sit down with an agent and choose their plan, I would think it would spread out risk and make insurance much more accessible. To encourage people to purchase the insurance the government can offer a tax credit or some percentage of your premium reimbursed. This would make insurance portable and available for a lifetime so Medicare can be done away with.
ReplyDeleteProfit of the insurance companies has been brought up and I will research that before I write my paper. Initial thinking is to open sales across state borders and increase competition for better services and the companies will be forced to offer good service quality in order to stay in business.
Again, I have never had an issue with my Dad’s insurance company, so I have very little experience with the reasons for reform and my thoughts at this point are based on very little outside that. I am going to try to find more information on how medicines are priced and what determines cost of services, as spending has been brought up as another issue. I strongly believe that any business that can be kept in the private sector should be, but I do recognize there are problems with system as it exists and some type of reform needs to occur.
I am uncomfortable with the idea of health care as a right. It is a greatly desired service that I would never choose to go without, but to make it equivalent to laws that generally protect people from others in power seems strange. The Bill of Rights keeps the powerful in check; health care keeps an individual as free of disease as possible. We should make every effort to make care available to all, for the same reason we are taught to respect and serve others. It is morally right for people to run free clinics and doctors to offer free or low cost services, but the care itself I do not think of as an unalienable right.
Because every industrialized nation decides on their own health care system, each one varies. I think this is interesting because each has their own strengths and weaknesses. When I think of good health, I think this is something that everyone should have, at the very least, basic coverage. So why is it that countries don't adopt the effective treatments of other coutnries for the areas they are lacking? The answer can be long and complicated, and has a lot to do with politics. Some feel that Americans don't take care of their own health, and have trouble believing that the government should have to pick up the slack. Others believe that if the government can protect us from outside dangers such as terrorism, then they should be able to protect us from inside dangers such as poor health. With that being said, the issue of poor health and lack of health care is a significant issue that needs serious renovation.
ReplyDeleteRationing in health care? I'm afraid that some elderly people will die because their insurance will no longer pay for certain medications that will keep them alive. I think this is the governments way of lowering medicare's debt. I think everyone deserves the right to have whatever medication the doctor says we need. The insurance co. should not be in control of what a person needs when it comes to medication they are prescribed. If the doctor says they need the medicine the insurance co. shouldn't say--no we are not paying for it.
ReplyDeleteHealth is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health is much simpler to define than health care, which is varied and poorly defined. What should be included in health care? Are cough drops and chemotherapy drugs equally parts of health care? If health care is a right, how can it cost anything because any cost would prevent certain people from having access to this “right”? I think that health care should not be considered a right, but instead an option. I feel that there would be several benefits from a health care system that functioned solely under the free market.
ReplyDeleteFriendly and quick. For a person who hated going to the dentist I am not dreading my next cleaning!
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