Healthcare Delivery System
The Healthcare delivery system in the United States is a complex system that requires stakeholders from various institutions and organizations such as education, medical suppliers, healthcare providers, and researchers, among others. Studies indicate that their about 14.4 million employees in the healthcare system, including nurses and active medical practitioners. Some developed countries provide universal healthcare to every member of the public, which is serviced through taxation. Barack Obama’s presidency was based on ensuring that the state would have a national healthcare system due to the increased number of uninsured persons. The famously known Obama care was passed into law in 2010 to benefit a large number of the United States residence (Erickson et al., 2020). The implementation Affordable Care Act led to a decline in the number of uninsured persons by a 0.7% margin (Erickson et al., 2020). The ownership and management of the healthcare system can be attributed to the private sector in the United States. However, the federal government and county governments own several facilities. The availability of resources dictates how hospital services are provided, and a physician can easily open a hospital anywhere they chose.
When it comes to the sustainability of the healthcare system, an individual must think of issues such as cost-effectiveness, quality of care, and the involvement of stakeholders. The majority of people in America enjoy healthcare services through insurance policies. Obama care increased the number of people participating in Medicare by 0.4%. There are numerous ways through which individuals in America get insured. The most significant number of insured persons is through employers. Employer-provided about 56% of insurance while the private market made up to 8% of coverage. Another source of health insurance is done through public sources. A large percentage of American citizens are uninsured, while all the senior citizens in America receive healthcare via the Medicare process.
The spending on the healthcare system in the United States can be represented in the form of gross domestic product. About 3.9% of gross domestic product was used in healthcare in the year 2017. In other words, the United States spent about 3.5 trillion for the entire population, which is equivalent to about $10,700 per individual (Liaropoulos & Goranitis, 2015). The figures indicate that the cost of healthcare in the United States is the most expensive among developed countries. It can be argued that healthcare services are not readily available to all in the United States due to the use of insurance policies.
The central reform that would solve the issue is to ensure a universal healthcare scheme. Instead of having a healthcare system that only a handful of people can afford, it is essential to have comprehensive coverage. The universal healthcare scheme would ensure that every individual in America receives healthcare services even when they do not have money. The expected effect of such a scheme is that it will promote equality. It will also increase the number of people who can access healthcare services.
The reform will improve how healthcare services are delivered to the stakeholders. The application of universal coverage will have an impact on the insurance companies as well as the public. Its main implication is that it will help eliminate paperwork handled by an insurance company. It is also expected that healthcare reforms will increase life expectancy, which lags behind the majority of developed countries (Braithwaite et al., 2017). It should be noted that providing universal coverage to healthcare will increase ensure that every individual in the country has access to health.
References
Braithwaite, J., Testa, L., Lamprell, G., Herkes, J., Ludlow, K., & McPherson, E. et al. (2017). Built to last? The sustainability of health system improvements, interventions, and change strategies: a study protocol for a systematic review. BMJ Open, 7(11), e018568. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018568
Erickson, S., Outland, B., Joy, S., Rockwern, B., Serchen, J., Mire, R., & Goldman, J. (2020). Envisioning a Better U.S. Health Care System for All: Health Care Delivery and Payment System Reforms. Annals Of Internal Medicine, 172(2_Supplement), S33. https://doi.org/10.7326/m19-2407
Liaropoulos, L., & Goranitis, I. (2015). Health care financing and the sustainability of health systems. International Journal For Equity In Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-015-0208-5