The existence of external forces of history, financial constraints, current socioeconomic structure, and consumer preference profoundly influence the shape and the structure of the American healthcare system. The government and the healthcare department have taken a full charge of the healthcare outcomes through policy decisions. They mainly determine the funding, reimbursement, and regulation activities. As a consequence, there are direct effects witnessed through the organization and delivery of healthcare strategies. The current status of the healthcare system in the US unveils various complexities of high cost and unequal access opportunities as compared to highly developed nations. While citing evidence from informative sources, the following text details on the current status of the US healthcare system.
One key challenge that bars the performance of the system is the failure to maintain health equity and eliminate national disparities. Achieving equity requires valuing every individual by eradicating historical and contemporary social injustices (Coombs 1). A significant drive to the differences witnessed during service delivery links to social and economic disadvantages. For instance, the most affected are distinct groups of people who have systematically undergone through social and economic struggles. The hurdles bar them from accessing healthcare or living in a clean environment. The disparity extends to touch on other sociodemographic factors such as race, ethnic background, religion, gender, mental health, and physical ability. All these factors determine the healthcare outcome of the entire nation.
According to Coombs (1), more than 17% of the American spending ends up in the healthcare system. Such implies that the health care cost increases faster than the wages of the working population. For this purpose, families are spending most of their incomes on healthcare services. However, the government has intervened to help improve the situation by introducing the insurance programs. It provides healthcare assistance programs that promote the dissemination of care to various groups of people. Among those covered includes families with children that have special health needs, low to middle-income families who cannot afford a private cover, and the senior population above the age of 65.
The primary insurance cover programs are the Medicaid and Medicare. They have been in place for more than five decades and have become ubiquitous in the US healthcare system. For instance, more to offering healthcare coverage to the disadvantaged groups, the insurance programs have played a substantial role in promoting growth in the private insurance sector. Research indicates a constant shift of numbers between the public and the self-sponsored insurance program for the last ten years. For example, most seniors enrolled in the public insurance have also registered for a private coverage.
It is important to note some limitations associated with the current insurance programs. For instance, the coverage requirements are not uniform from one state to another. Such raises disparities and continues to widen the equality gap between the rich and the poor. Still, both programs exempt some services such vision and hearing treatments. Nevertheless, the government has not defined the eligibility requirements. Most people are denouncing the expensive private insurers for the fully funded government program (Scott, Keckley, and Copeland). Such drags down the country’s economy as the private industry contributes much revenue to the nation. However, the country has witnessed some notable benefits as the programs enhance equal access to healthcare for all people despite age, race, or financial status.
There is need for the government to consider a solution for the issue raised by the current programs. The most viable one includes offering clarity on the admissibility requirements for people enrolled in the public insurance program. In this way, the government will optimize the coverage to people in need and leave the others to enroll in private companies. As a result, it is likely to improve the health outcomes of the nation and also promote its economy in part.
Works Cited
Coombs, Bertha. "Government programs play bigger role for health insurers." CNBC
3 August 2015: 1.
Scott, Greg, Paul Keckley and Bill Copeland. "The future of health care insurance: What’s ahead?" Deloitte Insights 24 July 2013.
