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Healthcare in the USA
The topic on America healthcare has been the most controversial topic in its history. The main issue of concern is the costs that have resulted after the introduction of Obama care and its gradual increase over the years. These are the two main points, which have continuously made headlines in the newspapers and magazine articles. Healthcare in the States is provided by various health care facilities that are owned by the private sector and insurance companies. However, various programs offer healthcare to the government employed individuals and their families. These programs include Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare amongst others.
It is estimated that an average stay in a medical facility in the America costs an approximated $ 4,293 in the previous year. This figure is six fold the same price charged in Argentina. It gets worse when compared to the hospital charges in Spain that is a tenth of the estimated rates of the bed stay. This is according to a survey conducted by an industry group. Other medical services are also expensive in the USA as compared to other nations include the scans, surgeries, prescription medicine and medical procedures. According to the International Federation of Health Plans, there exist eight other nations who charger lesser rates as compared to America. Then opinion that is formed after this observed trend is that, putting into consideration the medical outcomes are the same whether rendered in the states or other nations, the increased rates are means through American citizens are exploited for profit. The providers use it as a means of profiting at the expense of its clientele who happen to be the patients who purchase the insurances.
In a research conducted, various nations were used as the source of data regards the charges of medical services. They included Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia and the United States. The findings drawn after the conducted research showed the healthcare costs were reliant on the deals struck between the healthcare providers and the health insurance plans. This translates to the major reason why the prices were high is for the profitability of healthcare provision that would benefit the two parties involved. This point was clearly illustrated in the comparison of various medical services in the nation use to carry out the survey. For instance, a cancer drug by the name, gleevec costs $ 6,214 in USA whereas it costs $989 in New Zealand. Another example is that of the MRI scan which costs $ 138 in Switzerland and $ 1,145 in America. The same applied to the cost incurred during childbirth. There was a point in time where having babies incurred a lot of cost making it very expensive to give birth in a hospital in a hospital facility. These services and medication and services are equal in all aspects; however, they are more expensive in the USA due to the exploitative nature of the healthcare providers and the insurance providers. In comparison with the medial services offered by Australia and the United States, the cataract surgery was more expensive in America. The charges were $ 3,841 as compared to $ 3,762. The costs that are imposed on the health services should be reduced in order to accommodate the patients who cannot afford needed medical attention.
A $200 billion reduction in the SGR deficit is good news – and there is more good news on the SGR front. There is a growing consensus that there may be a congressional resolution later this year. Another main issue that has been cause of concern is the slow improvement of the healthcare scorecard. Over the last half a decade, there has been slow progress even after the inception of the Obama care. Despite the measures that have been implemented by the health program such as increase in health care quality, cost and outcomes, and health care access. This is according to the reports done by the Common wealth. Healthcare spending rose by $491 billion during the five-year period researched, with most states seeing increases, despite deteriorating performance. “The return on our nation’s healthcare investment is falling woefully short,” the report said. This translates to the counter effect of the Obamacare on the governments economic budgeting. Health care should be an important priority to the federal government. However, the cost incurred in providing such medical services should be regulated. As the years progress, the uninsured millions of Americans should be given an opportunity to be insured. The increase of the costs hinders such insurance of a large number of people, as it would result to a bigger increase. After the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the majority of states either failed to improve or got worse on two-thirds of the 34 indicators for which longitudinal data existed, the report authors said at a news conference. Indicators included numbers of uninsured children and adults; adults who went without care because of costs; use of mental health services; 30-day readmission rates; infant mortality; and death from colon and breast cancers. These should be the least of the case scenarios that should be experienced after the inculcation of a health program that strives to ensure that all Americans are insured and receiving proper healthcare and medication. Children comprise of the fraction of the population that should be first priority when handing the insurance owing to the fact that they are more vulnerable to getting infections and communicable diseases due to their weak immune system. Thus, such problems should not arise; especially considering the states is ranked amongst the top spenders in term of providing health care.
Despite the negative aspects mentioned in relation to the healthcare in the USA, there has been improvement in terms of the reduction of the childhood mortality rates. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an estimated 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths would be prevented thanks to routine childhood vaccinations, an estimated net savings of $295 billion in direct costs. These are progress in its entirety. Te reduction of these numbers of hospitalizations ensures that there is no crowding of the medical facilities that result to the depletion of the available resources present. It also means that the method through which children are vaccinated which in turn reduce the mortality is and idea that should be improved and worked on. The financial saving achieved has the ability to to empower the governments to disburse funds that will assist in increasing the performance all through the states.
Despite of the controversies that
have led to many Americans having a negative attitude towards the Obamacare
law, it has actually ha reduced the healthcare costs in America. According to Goldman Sacs
analysts, the introduction of Obamacare received lot of negativity owing to the
fact it was thought to cause an overhaul. “Cuts to
Medicare payments that were used to finance some of the new benefits under the
law have resulted in significant slowing in the health-related components of
the PCE price index,” wrote Goldman analysts in a note to clients. Medicare is
the health program offered to the elderly. The cuts of this program were due to
its incorporation into the Affordable care Act thus allowing the government to
access more funds that will be used to insure the many uninsured Americans. The
law has mandated smaller health care packages for the elderly ensuring that
their health services are not reduced but rather made available in smaller
packages. The topic of Obama care solicits much needed criticism but as predicted by the budgeting economists,
the health care programs will be the long term contributor to the nations debt.
Works cited
Pfeifer, Stuart (April 17, 2014). Healthcare costs in the U.S far exceed costs in other countries, Report says. Los Angeles Times.
Rice, Sabriya. (April 30, 2014). Healthcare scorecard shows little progress among the U.S states. Modern Healthcare.
Phillips, Matt. (March 4 2014). Yes, Obamacare is driving US health care costs lower. QUARTZ.
Munro, Dan. (February 02, 2014). Annual U.S Healthcare Spending hits $ 3.8 Trillion. Forbes.