Healthcare in the Us vs Healthcare in the Uk
Healthcare in the United States vs. Healthcare in the United Kingdom
By
JB
HS543
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Background
The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the Healthcare system in the United States versus the Healthcare system in the United Kingdom. When comparing the healthcare systems of the two countries the first thing that should be done is determining the differences between a “Good Healthcare System, which is the best attainable average level and a Fair Healthcare System, which is the smallest feasible differences among individuals and groups.” Ibid., p. 27-35 Data also analyzed in Gerard Anderson and Peter Sotir Hussey, “Comparing Health System Performance in OECD Countries”. Health Affairs; Vol. 20: No. 3 (May/June 2001): pp.219-232. According to the World Health Organization, “a health system, which is both good and fair would ideally have: 1) overall good health (e.g., low infant mortality rates and high disability-adjusted life expectancy), 2) a fair distribution of good health (e.g., low infant mortality and long life expectancy evenly distributed across population groups), 3) a high level of overall responsiveness, 4) a fair distribution of responsiveness across population groups, and 5) a fair distribution of financing healthcare (whether the burden of health costs is fairly distributed, based on ability to pay, so that everyone is equally protected from the financial risks of illness.” WHO (ibid.), p. 35 The major facts that will be discussed in this paper are: The cost of healthcare in the U.S. versus the U.K., the access to healthcare, health and well-being, responsiveness, fairness in financing, attainment and performance, and the satisfaction with the healthcare system. In addition to the major facts being discussed are the major problems. A solution to the problems that exist would be to
By
JB
HS543
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Background
The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the Healthcare system in the United States versus the Healthcare system in the United Kingdom. When comparing the healthcare systems of the two countries the first thing that should be done is determining the differences between a “Good Healthcare System, which is the best attainable average level and a Fair Healthcare System, which is the smallest feasible differences among individuals and groups.” Ibid., p. 27-35 Data also analyzed in Gerard Anderson and Peter Sotir Hussey, “Comparing Health System Performance in OECD Countries”. Health Affairs; Vol. 20: No. 3 (May/June 2001): pp.219-232. According to the World Health Organization, “a health system, which is both good and fair would ideally have: 1) overall good health (e.g., low infant mortality rates and high disability-adjusted life expectancy), 2) a fair distribution of good health (e.g., low infant mortality and long life expectancy evenly distributed across population groups), 3) a high level of overall responsiveness, 4) a fair distribution of responsiveness across population groups, and 5) a fair distribution of financing healthcare (whether the burden of health costs is fairly distributed, based on ability to pay, so that everyone is equally protected from the financial risks of illness.” WHO (ibid.), p. 35 The major facts that will be discussed in this paper are: The cost of healthcare in the U.S. versus the U.K., the access to healthcare, health and well-being, responsiveness, fairness in financing, attainment and performance, and the satisfaction with the healthcare system. In addition to the major facts being discussed are the major problems. A solution to the problems that exist would be to