Health issues are prevalent around the globe especially with the advent of the evident tough economic times facing the world. In the recent past, the United States declared healthcare systems broken. It is worrying to note that the situation has not yet improved (Garson Para.1). It is even worse no when one realizes how nearly 45 million American residents are uninsured, despite the underlying vitality. This situation presents itself as an immense problem. Even though improved technological innovations have the capacity to hike the efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of health services, such technologies bring in additional costs. This, in turn, brings in the possibility of the costs to outdo the savings of the American population. The danger is that, with the evident rise in cost, health insurance companies might stop dealing with most of the key companies. It can also shun from offering health insurance benefits to the newly hired staff, an imminent case that paves way for an increment of the number of uninsured persons in America in the coming years.
The chief cause of the American problems of healthcare insurance lies squarely on the increased cost of medication and insurance of the ever-increasing sick American population. A rise in the cost of living results in a corresponding rise in the cost of providing healthcare insurance to the American population. Since this is an issue of public interest, one would anticipate the government to take a proactive stand to ensure a healthy nation by intervening in cutting the costs of the provisions of such essential services to ensure that all the citizens equally benefit. However, according to Health Care Problems, based on the case of the US, the problem of healthcare insurance is severe since such services are only available in profit-oriented companies (Para. 8). In addition, America lacks a universal healthcare insurance program applicable for every citizen just like the vehicles insurance program. The problem is even severe, as America is one of the nations with the highest healthcare spending standing at 15.3% of the GDP (Farrell 20). America does not spend money meant for healthcare efficiently. According to the congressional office, in the year 2006, about 700 billion or about 5% GDP never served to improve healthcare, as anticipated (Bodenheimer & Pham 42). The problems of the inability to access healthcare insurance services affect every American citizen: insured uninsured, children, and retirees amongst others.
The majority of Americans contend that a solution is desirable to this problem. However, disagreements emanate based on how people need not only to structure the health insurance system but also to fund and manage its funding. Among the suggested solutions is the formation of a free market, perhaps with some help from the government. Many scholars deem collaborative action as having the capacity to solve the problems surrounding the healthcare scenes in America. This, perhaps, follows because things like moral, emotional and ethical stalemates characterize the healthcare problems, none of which exists in other public sectors. This is consistent with the proposed solution in the book that calls for both communities and the government to take collective active roles in ensuring cute health for all. Opposed to the government-established agencies, privately or nongovernmental agencies have come out expressing interest in posing ideas that may result in, once and for all, the solution to the American healthcare crisis. To the same extent, academic institutions are not left behind.
In my opinion, I think the solution only relies in the improvements of the forces of free market with minimal government interference. I think that if people advocate for companies operating in competitive mode in the provision of high quality foods and other necessities efficiently, why not health services? What would make people think that a socialistic approach would work miracles in this situation, yet in almost all other sectors of provision of public utilities, they end up thinking and entrusting a capitalistic approach? Even though the government may help by far in streamlining the structures of public healthcare insurance, from a different dimension, the chances are that the handling of claims process may end up being slower accompanied by bureaucratic approaches coupled with system abuses. The bottom line in solving the American healthcare insurance lies in the people themselves. In my opinion, l bet, the problem may not be adequately solved by symptom-based approaches such as more government involvement or extending healthcare insurance to everybody. People need to look at the native cause of the problem: poor eating habits.
Works Cited
Bodenheimer, Thomas, and Pham, Hoangmai. Primary Care: Current Problems and Proposed Solutions. Health affairs 30.9 (2011): 23-58.
Farrell, Robert. American Healthcare Crisis: Is There A Solution, 2009. Web.
Garson, Arthur. The US Healthcare Systems: Problems, Principles and Potential Solutions, 2011. Web.
Health Care Problems. Healthcare Statistics, 2011. Web.