Question

The Discussion article U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2019: Higher Spending, Worse Outcomes? and address the following criteria and post your response.

1. Your assessment of the status of the US healthcare system

2. Pick 2 of the Utilization metrics and use the graphs to demonstrate your understanding of the problem

3. Present a recommended course of action that policy makers can take to address both metrics that you chose

Answer 1

ANSWERS:-

1) In US the outcome of health care system is poor. Examples are low life expectancy, high suicide rates, high chronic diseases etc when compared to other high income countries.

* The assessment and analysis of Commonwealth Fund cross- national comparison using health data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to assess US health care system spending, outcomes, risk factors and prevention, utilization and quality compared with other 10 high income countries like Australia, Canada etc shows the United States had worse outcome and had spend more on health care than other countries.

* US spends more on health care, yet has the lowest life expectancy and highest suicide rates.

* Has highest chronic disease obesity rate is two times higher than other countries.

* Visits to physician are less and may be due to less number of physicians in the US

* The public spending on health care is similar as other countries, but out of pocket and private spending are higher.

* US is excellent in preventive measures such as flu vaccination and breast cancer screening.

2)

*

3) Recommended course of action that policy makers can take are,

* Reduce the health care costs. The higher prices are the primary reason for higher spending. Reduce the health care costs by using value - based prizing of new technologies, use incentives to use effective care and disincentives to discourage less effective care. Consolidate services for better quality and lower costs.

* Early detection and prevention of risk factors and better management of chronic conditions by improving and strengthening access to affordable health care and primary care systems.