Healthcare systems
Healthcare systems in the world compete with first world countries trying as much as possible to reduce their healthcare costs and provide universal care for its citizens. Different countries have tried different methods and plans under different administrations, with the best plan lasting or updated with emerging medical needs. Countries such as Switzerland, the UK, Germany, and the USA have among the best healthcare systems, but some disparities distinguish them in terms of care providence. The USA has to learn a thing or two from European countries with good healthcare systems to salvage its healthcare system’s expensive nature.
Comparison
The UK healthcare system is cheaper compared to the U.S. healthcare system. England has a universal health care system that ensures all the citizens and non-citizens in the country can access medical care at any hospital in the country. The entire of England’s population can access medical treatment free in the public hospital. This has been essential in reducing medical complications, and cases in England as everyone is readily accepted in the public hospital through the government’s free medical care (Fry, et al. 150). The United States, through the Affordable Health Care act, has covered most of the citizens in health care expenses, but close to 28 million remains uncovered by the health care act. The Affordable Care Act has been instrumental in ensuring that most Americans are attended to medically. The Act has enabled most of the citizens to access affordable health care. The policy has been identified as not covering the majority of the American citizens in the health care services leading to an increase in the costs of medical care in the country despite the Affordable Care Act (Gwyther, et al. 413).
Both the U.S and U.K healthcare systems face a challenge in caring for the aging. The evolving health care needs, especially towards aging, have been a weakness for the policy as the services and equipment required are expensive, and also more labor is required in the medical field as a result. Healthy behavior is a determinate in England as far as health care is concerned. Poor eating habits have resulted in obesity and cancer complications, which require special treatment and equipment (Gwyther, et al. 414). This is negatively impacting free health care as the citizens suffering from acute complications end up incurring extra fees from health care. This increases the costs of health care. Social determinants of health such as age, income, and social class impact the Affordable Care Act. The middle-class income and the high-class income in the community benefit from medical care more as they can cater for the extra charges that arise from the services. However, the low-class income and aging in the society benefit very little from the policy as they cannot meet the extra expenses. Leading to an increased medical cost in the USA for the low class and low-income class.
Both healthcare systems undergo different changes to meet evolving care needs. The Tory leadership under Prime Minister May and the opposition led by Jeremy Corbyn instituted a health care system that focused on reducing costs and easing accessibility. This has been a success in England so far as the costs have reduced tremendously under Theresa May’s leadership. However, the increasing cases of aging patients pose a threat to the affordability of health care in England (Fry, et al. 159). Health care in England in almost free. This has ensured that the country is healthy. Most of the medical services are easily provided by public hospitals and at a very affordable cost. For example, Nottingham has seen an increase in the number of patients seeking medical services in the town. As a result of the free medical care policy, England has seen an increase in the field of nursing. More labor is required in the medical field as the nurse’s advances to assistant primary care providers. The nurses control the efficacy of the policy.
The Obama administration came up with Obama Care, which was meant to reduce healthcare costs and increase healthcare access. Trump’s administration is struggling with reducing costs but through a new system and not the Obama Care. However, the country is yet to set policies that will tackle costs and ease of accessibility. Currently, the costs of health care are high and with minimal access. Affordable Health Care Act has been instrumental, especially for the minorities in the USA (Gwyther, et al., .404). For example, minorities in El Paso, Texas, can access medical treatment at a public hospital with reduced fees and ease. This has reduced the fatality rates in the USA for the minorities resulting from poor health care attendance. The nurses play a significant role in the affordable care Act. They are the policy enforcers, which has increased the role of the nurses in the health care department. More nurses are required as more patients can access medical services.
Conclusion
The affordable health care plan is a concern for every government in the world to make health care free service. The USA is under pressure to reduce its costs of health care and ease of accessing health care. The United States needs to formulate better policies through Congress to easily enable more Americans from the low-income class to afford health care and access health care. The USA can learn from Germany and Switzerland on the best way to fund their healthcare, reduce the cost of treatment, cost medicine, and make the healthcare system universal.