Only certain groups of people are entitled to specific medical care Essay

Only certain groups of people are entitled to specific medical care - Essay Example A person can avail the services if he can pay for it but he cannot force any person to provide him the service even if he desperately needed it (Health Care Is Not a Right, 1993). So, it was only the rich and the affluent that could pay and avail the medical services. Unlike a hair cut service which is provided for free in USA, medical services had to be earned. To provide medical facilities to a person without paying was considered as charity. It was thought that if medical care became a right the quality of medical facilities and health care would deteriorate. Before the health care reform became valid in USA, there were many loopholes in the health care system in USA. Life expectancy in USA was less than most of the other developed nations. The average spending on the medical facilities by an American often exceeded the other costs (Medical Care in the USA, 2012). People went bankrupt because of the high amount in the medical bills. Companies provided for medical insurance policies but often went beyond the profit margins of the company. According to a survey by the US census bureau, around 46.3 million American citizens remained uninsured in 2008. Health care expenditures reached $2.2 trillion in 2007 which was 16.2% of the US economy. 62.1% of all bankruptcies in USA in 2007 were related with medical bills. Despite of being the richest nation, it had the highest number of people suffering from cancer. With the passing of the health care reform act in 2010, there is hope of bringing in changes in the system. On 23 March 2010, the Affordable Care Act in USA was upheld by the federal court and was declared a law. This was also propagated by the present president of USA. The law covered areas like providing insurance facilities to those without such claims or with a pre existing medical condition, reducing the spending on medical care, making health care facilities affordable for all Americans (HealthCare.gov,

Health Care Policy in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Care Policy in USA - Essay Example In this context it is necessary to study the health policies incorporated by the developed countries like the United States of America. A study of the general condition of the health policies is USA is undertaken and analyzed to identify some of the limitations of the health care system. The US healthcare: The overall healthcare system in the United States has taken a rapid progress over the century. The formalization of the US healthcare system occurred in 1990s when medical licensure was incorporated by the government. Hospitals started serving the public in the 1920’s. However the accreditation of the hospitals was started much later after privately owned heath insurance evolved in the market. The effective participation of the government in the US heath care policy was evident when the government started sponsoring the Medicare and the Medicaid policy back in the year 1966 (Greenwald 22-25). The participation from the government also came into picture when the government s tarted providing benefits to the diseased children belonging from low income family. US maintains a variety of health policies, however the overall marginal benefit arising from the health care services is often very small. An initial surgery in cancer does not cost much to the patients but the cost of radiation and chemotherapy involves a greater expense which reduces the overall benefit the patients receive from the health care facilities. The additional treatments which patients had to incur are not covered by the heath policies and the overall utility which the patients receive becomes hugely insignificant. The disadvantaged people are also not on the receiving ends of high end facilities The criteria for eligibility under the disadvantaged quota is a matter of concern ,and most of the undocumented immigrantsare barred from the service. However the immigrant’s forms a greater part of the US population and the government should also try their best to deliver for their caus e. The overall heath care costs in the country are borne by the taxpayers, health insurance agencies, and various other government agencies. However over the past decade the general consumers have borne a large part of the tax. In recent times various participants in the US healthcare policies have tried to shift the cost among each other This has lead to the increased resistance from various groups for receiving higher health care without much increase in the overall cost towards the service. The increase of cost in the health care system has endangered the condition of the poor section of economy.The healthcare system and policies in USA is of voluntary in nature and it has two definite purpose of taking the care of the health system in USA, through the preferential pricing and also at the same time it provides a financial protection from unprecedented increase in the overall cost of healthcare. The heath care policy also looks after the benefits of the doctors and the insurance p roviders by providing financial stability in their business. (Greenwald 22-25) Health care policies in US: The US government follows three-tier health system, which are National Health Service (NHS), social health insurance (SHI), and private health insurance. In matters of publichealthcare, the US government has three popular policies which are Medicaid and