“The United States ranks poorly relative to other industrialized nations in health care despite having the best health care providers and the best medical infrastructure of any industrialized nation” (Battista). This is due to the detrimental loop of increasing healthcare and less coverage. With less coverage, health rankings decrease as more people ill people go uncovered; “Americans have the highest healthcare cost… but do not have the healthiest outcomes” (Reeve). With a universal healthcare system, every citizen would have access to healthcare and the rankings would significantly improve. Currently the United States ranks 21st in life expectancy for men (20th for women) down from 1st in 1945 (Battista).
This is a historic federalism versus state rights conflict that has defined our nation throughout our entire history and continues to divide us politically, as evidenced in the recent presidential election. Thus, we rank high in many critical care and surgical services, but rank low in overall morbidity and mortality rates due our lack of comprehensive horizontally integrated healthcare services that extend far beyond our hospital borders. We spend approximately 18.4 percent of our gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, which is almost double that of any other industrialized nation. Part A of the Medicare Trust Fund is due to go bankrupt in 2017. The need to offer higher healthcare quality and service at lower costs requires incentives for innovative delivery systems and new ways of working with fewer resources.
As the US actually spends more money on or for use in the Health care than Canada, they only spent 10% of their GDP and the US spends 15.3%. We should take heed of the way Canada does things. They have a government who is willing to pick up the cost of medical care to the tune of 70% VS. here in the US to only 46%. Although there are many studies which are trying to keep up with ever changing factors in health care the three most noted are WHO, CRS and CPR. This may not be a large difference, but truth be told Canada is always ahead of the US in other ways just as infant mortality and life expectancy.
Physical Fitness in Canada Research Report Kristy P. Reaume Tilbury District High School Ones health and wellbeing is one of the most important factors in sustaining a long and full-filled life. However, it has been shown that some have lost touch with this factor. Canada, like many nations, is an obesity crisis. Approximately 59% of Canadians are overweight or obese, a twenty percent increase from the 1970’s. It has been proven that if these trends continue, by 2040, up to 70% of adults aged 40 years will be overweight or obese.
Running Head: HEALTH CARE REFORM Health Care Reform Health Care Reform With our elections only a week away, Healthcare reform is a hot topic. According to 17 different polls analyzed, healthcare is only second to the economy as a major voting issue (Fox, 2010). Even though market supporters have been successful in creating the belief that “competition in health care markets can rein in uncontrolled costs”, it is the market failure that is at the origin of our current health care crisis (Geyman, 2010). Is healthcare reform the remedy or could this system wide issue be addressed differently? No matter what other solutions are implemented, it is apparent that the federal government will be involved.
Half of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills, and three-fourths of those bankrupted had health insurance at the time they got sick or injured (Himmelstein 1). Canada, which has a national health care system, has “better measures of access to health care than Americans, even though they spend much less per capita on health care” (Lasser, 1). Universal health care could change the lives of every US citizen. It would open many different doors for not only patients, but for physicians as well. The system may introduce new taxes and spending cuts, but the benefits, including the option of a centralized national database, outweighs the excuses for not executing a plan for national
A Policy Change to Address the Health Care Problem in the United States “8508 USD”, that’s the amount the U.S spent on health per capita in 2011. This is by far the highest spent per capita in the world, but it does not translate to the best health care system in the world. In fact a deeper look at the U.S. health care system shows that it an inequitable and inefficient system which places a heavier burden on the poor than on any other group in the country. The brunt of the high spending on health care is born by the low income earners in the country, leading to unequal health utility and a further increase in the already large income inequality plaguing the country. A change in the U.S. health care system to make it more equitable and efficient
Amari Fulton 4-11-12 ENGL 1321 Hence The Resistance of Health Care Reform In 2009, the U.S. had the highest healthcare costs relative to the size of the economy in the world, with an estimated 50.2 million citizens without insurance coverage. The Affordable Health Care Act was a bill that was created by the United States House of Representatives in November 2009. It is a perfect example of health care reform in the United States. The Affordable Health Care bill sets up a new national health insurance exchange. This bill puts in place strong consumer protections, provides new coverage options and gives Americans the tools they need to make informed choices about their health.
No healthcare can leave many lives lost and even ruined financially. Healthcare is unaffordable, in 2007, 62 percent of all bankruptcies were related to medical expenses and 78 percent of the bankruptcies were filed by people with no health insurance. America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) that its proposal will achieve universal coverage, curtail runaway healthcare spending, help consumers and purchasers, and improve quality of care. (Versely) In order for healthcare reform to be achieved it is going to take a lot of work politically, but with American’s speaking up it is possible. Over 45 million Americans who are uninsured speak volumes about the problems with our present healthcare system.
Statistics do not show the US as a stand-out performer in either quality or quantity. A recent study published in Health Affairs states: “the United States often stands out for inefficient care and errors and is an outlier on access/cost barriers.” Streamlining payment through a single nonprofit payer per the PNHP would save more than $400 billion per year. The PNHP is not alone in their belief. Health Care Now and the recently proposed “Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act,” H.R. 676 introduce plans to provide health care for all, give consumers the most choices, provide strong health coverage and saves money for government, business and individuals.