For decades, the world has viewed the United States of America as a beacon of hope, freedom, and prosperity. As a global power, our nation's citizens have enjoyed the privilege of living in a place where most can purchase both what they want and what they need to live at least semi-comfortable lives. Measure by measure, the United States leads the pack in the standard of living and financial well-being of its citizens. But where we fail terribly is our method of health insurance coverage. America's health care system is inefficient, too expensive, and in need of an overhaul. That's why I propose that the federal government provide a public option to most American health care plans by opening Medicare to everyone nationwide. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay First, we need to look at some of the reasons why America's health insurance coverage system is so flawed. According to a 2014 study reported by Lenny Bernstein of the Washington Post, “the problems in our health care system remain so pervasive that it will take more than better access and equity to solve them” (2014). This assessment of the quality of the health insurance market in the United States can be seen as the result of a number of factors. It should be noted that the report cited in the Washington Post article was conducted before President Barack Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also better known as Obamacare, came into full force. in force. So it's possible that the United States could finally begin to catch up with other modern nations ahead of it in terms of global coverage. Nonetheless, the report concludes that the United States "ranks behind most countries on many measures of health outcomes, quality, and efficiency." American physicians face unique challenges in receiving timely information, coordinating care, and managing administrative hassles” (Bernstein, 2014). Additionally, the United States ranks “26th out of 34 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries” in life expectancy. (Brodwin, 2014). This places the United States, firmly considered the economic powerhouse of Western civilization, behind poorer countries like Korea and Slovenia. Race plays a major role in determining the life expectancy of Americans, as African Americans can expect to live. until the age of 75, which corresponds to “the same life expectancy [that] white Americans had 30 years earlier, in 1979” (Brodwin, 2014). Race and socioeconomic status have been intertwined in the United States since its founding. as such, this statistic should not surprise many. But what should be is that the United States lags behind many other developed countries, "ranking 29th in the world in infant mortality, with the same infant mortality rate as Slovakia and Poland” (Brodwin). , 2014). America is also the country that spends the most on health care than any other developed country, devoting “nearly one-fifth of its gross domestic product to health care” (Brodwin, 2014). One of the most alarming statistics mentioned in Erin Brodwin's article is the fact that more Americans are dying from treatable illnesses like asthma than in countries like Costa Rica and Brazil, while simultaneously sending moremore adults seek treatment for this disease than any other developed country. , with what Brodwin sees as "the skyrocketing cost of asthma medications in the United States (a Qvar brand inhaler, for example, costs 18 times more in the United States than in Greece) [be ] partly responsible for this problem (2014). ). Prescription drugs are exceptionally expensive in the United States, which spends a large percentage of its budget on pharmaceutical drugs. This stands in stark contrast to other developed countries “whose governments regularly bargain with pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices,” but “Medicare is prohibited from doing so” (Brodwin, 2014). Not even mentioning the enormous amount of money spent as a percentage of US GDP, with "OECD data showing that the US spent 17.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care in 2013." From now on, this share would be "nearly 50% higher than that of the second country which spends the most (France, 11.6% of GDP) and almost double what was spent in the Kingdom -United (8.8%). U.S. spending per person was equivalent to $9,086” (Squires and Anderson, 2015). The lack of preventable care for a majority of the population is also a major problem in the persistent poor ranking of the U.S. health care system. Brodwin claims that "it has become too easy for Americans to forgo vaccinations," leading to new outbreaks of preventable diseases such as "measles and hepatitis B, particularly among susceptible populations like young people." and the elderly” (2014). ). Doctors also do not spend enough time with their patients: “Compared to doctors in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, France and Israel, American doctors spend much less time consulting with their patients and a much worse job explaining to them. what’s wrong” (Brodwin, 2014). As the many problems present in the system show, the United States is far from successful in providing quality health care to its population. But it doesn't have to be this way, as there are other systems that have proven effective in achieving this goal. There are different health insurance systems in many countries around the world, most resembling that of Canada or the United States. For example, most Americans are “insured by their employer, some are enrolled in a government insurance program while others purchase insurance directly” (Limerick, 2012). These public health insurance programs are government-owned, with the two largest public insurance companies being Medicare and Medicaid, which provide coverage to "elderly, poor, disabled, end-stage renal disease and ALS – a form of motor disease. neuronal disease” (Limerick, 2012). When it comes to private health insurance in the United States, the vast majority is provided through employer-sponsored programs in which "the employer contributes to the costs (approximately 85%) and the employee pays the remainder » (Limerick, 2012). Limerick further explains that self-employed Americans, such as business owners, receive incentives and tax deductions in order to purchase their own health insurance” (2012). Regarding hospitals, Mr. Limerick explains that hospitals are either non-profit, public or private establishments. There are also "specialized medical centers and clinics in each state, such as John Hopkins Hospital specializing in neurosurgery, pediatrics, cardiac surgery,urology, endocrinology and child psychiatry” (Limerick, 2012). Today, because of the disconnect between the different ways health care is provided in the United States, split between government plans and employer plans, millions of Americans are falling through the cracks. Most developed countries around the world, to combat this problem, have moved to single-payer systems, such as in the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada. Single-payer health care “refers to a system in which one entity (usually the government) pays all medical bills for a specific population and usually (although, again, not always) that entity sets prices medical procedures (Rovner, 2016). ). In one of his articles, Zeesham Aleem, who covers public policy as Mic's senior editor, explains the intricacies of Canada's health insurance system in a relatively understandable way and compares it to that of the United States as well. than a plan proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. It examines how a single-payer health care system could work in the United States and offers evidence demonstrating why it would work in Canada's form. Aleem says the single-payer system is “a proven model for providing universal coverage,” with Canada having “a single-payer system since the 1960s, [which] has proven to be an effective way to provide health care. universal, high-quality health care to the population at almost half the cost per person for the same care in the United States” (2016). He explains that [in] the Canadian system, medical costs for medical and hospital services are entirely covered by the government" and also that "[t]hospitals are publicly funded, but doctors generally remain in the sector private – they are technically independent private entrepreneurs” (Aleem, 2012). It's this streamlining of the system by having one entity pay all insurance bills that "reduces the administrative costs associated with the messy complex of for-profit insurance companies," which could save you money. at least 10% in terms of costs. total amount you spend on healthcare” based solely on these administrative costs (Aleem, 2012). But perhaps the main feature of the Canadian health insurance system is its requirement for fixed prices, which means standardization of services ranging from "the amount paid to doctors, to hospital stays, to expensive diagnostic tests like MRI and the cost of medicines”. (Aleem, 2012). Aleem goes on to explain that these services are all subject to a government-regulated price schedule, where “not only are these prices fixed, but they are also low” (2012). It is almost a given that the Canadian system is cheaper, offers better care and is much more efficient than that of the United States. But is it possible in the United States? As Aleem notes, “politically, it is entirely possible” (2012). It is in the area of ​​political plausibility that problems arise. This problem could be resolved by the election of a Democratic president as well as supermajorities in both houses of Congress, reminiscent of the 111th Congress. The United States has faced attempts to reform its health care system since the president's second administration. Harry Truman in the late 1940s, and has recently undergone slight changes brought about by President Obama's Affordable Care Act. But many, including myself, believe the ACA doesn't go far enough and have therefore proposed a different idea. My plan would be to convert the American system into one roughly equivalent to Canada's...