Health Care Financing and Access to Services
In many countries around the world, universal access to health care is considered a right for all citizens. In the U.S., this proposition is open for debate, and the promotion of universally accessible health care has been a challenge given the nation’s economic structure.
To prepare for this Discussion consider:
- How the current financial configuration of health delivery promotes access for some but not all. Consider the uninsured and underinsured, as well as those who overutilize health care services.
- Identify one critical change that could alleviate this issue and how can it be beneficial. Consider health care systems from other countries that have demonstrated system effectiveness that might be applicable in the United States.
post a comprehensive response to the following:
- Describe how health care financing in the United States contends with the issues of under-access and overutilization of services.
- Describe one critical change that could alleviate this issue, and explain how and why it would be beneficial.
Required Resources
Readings
- Course Text: Jonas & Kovner’s Health Care Delivery in the United States
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- Chapter 3, “Health Care Financing”
This chapter describes the major sources of health care spending and the major reimbursement mechanisms in the United States. Chapter 3 also differentiates between public and private health care insurance.
- Chapter 12, “Health Care Costs and Value”
This chapter discusses some of the reasons for the rapid rise in health care cost over the last several decades. Chapter 12 also analyzes potential solutions to determine their effectiveness in reducing costs.
- Article: Anderson, G. F., Hussey, P. S., Frogner, B. K., & Waters, H. R. (2005). Health spending in the United States and the rest of the industrialized world. Health Affairs, 24(4), 903–914. Retrieved from http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17582422&site=ehost-live&scope=site
This article compares the per capita health care spending in the United States with other countries and considers causes for the difference.
Web Sites
- The Kaiser Family Foundation: U.S. Health Care Costs: Background Brief
http://kff.org/health-costs/
The Kaiser Family Foundation Web site provides a brief background of health care costs. You may want to explore this page. The Webcasts/Presentations tab located towards the top of the page provides media presenting information concerning a variety of health care topics.
- PBS: Parsing the Numbers on Income, Poverty and Insurance from Latest U.S. Census. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business-july-dec12-censusreport_09-12/
The Public Broadcasting Service provides in-depth coverage concerning the uninsured in America.
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