Question

WHICH COUNTRY, in your opinion, has the best healthcare system? WHY? Briefly describe its pros and cons. If the country is other than the United States, compare and contrast it with U.S. healthcare system?

Answer 1

Answer: In the United States, equity and fairness goals tend to be defined in terms of minimum standards rather than in terms of equal treatment for equal requirement, or equality of access. To measure equity in the finance of healthcare, Hurst (1985) does this in his comparison of the distribution of payments in the United States and Canada, and finds that the health care financing system is progressive in Canada, however regressive in the USA. The United States stands out as the only nation that relies on out-of-pocket payments and private insurance premiums for the majority of its revenues. On the contrary, Canadians view Medicare as a moral enterprise, not a business venture, and are grounded on the Canadian values of fairness, equity, compassion, and collective action. Thus in my opinion Canada has the best healthcare system.

　

Pros and Cons in comparison with with U.S. healthcare system are as follows:

PROS:

Extending Care

With 45 million citizens in Americans uninsured, and CNN reporting that 45,000 Americans are dying per year since they don't have access to health care because of high costs, a universal health care system would remedy the problem of affordability. It would extend care to anyone, regardless of bank account or social status. The nations that have a universal health care system in place have a longer lifespan.

Reducing Medical Costs

In United States currently the privatized health care costs are incredibly inflated. Without the government intervention and regulating health care costs, insurance premiums and hospital fees, those who set costs in the health care sector basically have free run over the system. A universal health care system would be regulated by the government, thus would result to reduce costs overall. It would be a more monitored system to reduce inflated costs for tests, hospital stays and procedures

Existing Working Models

One of the biggest advantages for a universal health care system is that working models exist and have been successful. Switzerland, Germany, Canada and Taiwan all have successful government-run insurance or health care for all lawful residents. While none of those countries are as populated as the United States, still they serve as effective models for a universal health care system and how it can work for an entire nation in America as well.

Con:

Raised Taxes

Although universal health care is often termed as "free," since it is typically government-run. However taxes would require to be raised to accommodate for universal health care, and many residents could be adverse to their taxed earnings paying for the health care of someone who doesn't work at all

No Competition

In United Kingdom and Canada, health care workers are considered employees of the government rather than private health care workers. It means a process where each surgeon, family practitioner and nurse is paid through the government, and their salaries are regulated by the government. As a result the competition for patients that spurs health care workers to become better at their occupations and specialties is gone. Consequently there would be a reduction of those willing to go into the medical profession overall. A person won't be able to select the best doctor simply by looking at her successes and patient base.

Longer Wait Times

When health care is extended to all residents, it can be used too often. And with "free" access, a patient may go to the emergency room with the sniffles, thus resulting to longer wait times for those who have real emergencies. Also the access to family doctors and specialists may also be limited due to too large number of patients and not enough doctors.