United States Healthcare System
In the United States, health care is not universal. It is provided by both the private and public sectors. In America, 58% of the health facilities are non-profit community hospitals, 21% are government-controlled, and the remaining 21% are private profit-oriented hospitals (Berchick et al., 2019). The American government, through the legislature, is enacting policies such as the Affordable Care Act that will ensure adequate and efficient healthcare is delivered to its people.
United States Healthcare System Efficiency
The health care system has improved tremendously over time. The quality of care delivered is of high standards, and highly trained doctors and nurses provide it. Americans do not face long waiting periods to be attended to or have a complex procedure being done as the appointment is easy and quick. The system also has adequate resources in terms of equipment and personnel.
United States Healthcare System
The American health care system is, however, a burden to most citizens. In the United States, approximately 90% of the spending is on medical care (Crowley et al., 2020). The medical system is strained by chronic and long-term conditions as well as a large aging population. Public funds embezzlement and highly-priced drugs raise medical bills. Medical staff in America are highly paid, causing a financial burden on the medical sector. Some hospitals in America are businesses that are profit centers. Profit-oriented hospitals exploit patients financially.
Most Americans receive medical cover from employers’ plans. By using the taxpayers’ money, the government covers the vulnerable population through government initiatives such as Medicaid and Medicare. Also, through military programs such as the veterans’ Health Administration, the government funds health services.
Germany Healthcare System
Germany has a health care system that is universally accessible. The Germans have a restriction-free and patient-oriented healthcare system that all citizens to seek medical attention anytime and anywhere they wish. The country’s social health insurance system is the oldest in the globe. Germany’s healthcare system is a multi-payer consisting of statutory health insurance and private health insurance. The system is 70% funded by the government and 30% by the private sector (Groene et al., 2020).
The German health care system is among the most effective in the entire world. The system is affordable and easily accessible to everyone. The insurance policies are cheap to acquire, and all insurance companies have the same procedures. The country has well-equipped hospitals throughout the country with well-trained doctors and nurses. German medical professionals accept relatively low wages relieving the financial burden of the system. The political community is also developing a comprehensive health care system to cater to the prevailing medical situation and the ever-rising aging population.
Chinese Healthcare System
China has a rapidly developing health care system through intense research and development. The Chinese government is still working towards building an accessible and convenient health care system (Umar et al., 2021). Healthcare in China is financed by government programs, employers’ insurance, and the people themselves. The New Rural Co-operative Medical Care insurance is a government insurance initiative that funds healthcare for rural areas. The Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Employees provides medical cover based on employment nationally. The Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents insurance covers young children, all school-going pupils and students, and those working in urban areas on voluntary services.
China’s health care system is not very efficient and convenient. Health care standards between the rural and urban cities in the country are inconsistent. The government allocates minimal funds in the health sector, which delays developments. China has an insufficient number of qualified doctors and nurses, making it challenging to meet the care needs of the vast Chinese population.
The U.S and German Healthcare Systems
German people enjoy a more efficient universal health coverage while the Americans do not. Compared to Germany, the United States allocates more funds to healthcare. Germany allocates approximately 8.5% of its GDP to healthcare, while America allocates about 9% (Berchick et al., 2019). The German life expectancy is higher than that of America. While America’s life expectancy is 78 years, Germany’s life expectancy is 80 (Groene et al., 2020). The American health care system is costly, unlike the German system. Medical personnel in Germany are paid lower wages compared to their American counterparts.
The U.S and Chinese Healthcare Systems
The American health care system is way more efficient than the Chinese one. Unlike China, America has standardized care across all states. America has resources in terms of equipment and medical staff, while China faces a severe staff shortage. A larger population of Americans has a medical cover, while some Chinese patients have to clear medical bills themselves. However, both countries have not adopted universal health coverage.
To conclude, it is evident that in all health care systems the two primary funding bodies are the government and the private insurers. However, for efficiency, the states should all consider adopting the universal health care system that covers all citizens. With often emergency of complex conditions and knowledge, the sector is rapidly transforming and should be resourced effectively to promote standardization.
References
Berchick, E. R., Hood, E., & Barnett, J. C. (2019). Health insurance coverage in the United States: 2018 (p. 2). Washington, DC: US Department of Commerce.
Crowley, R., Daniel, H., Cooney, T. G., & Engel, L. S. (2020). Envisioning a better US health care system for all: coverage and cost of care. Annals of Internal Medicine, 172(2_Supplement), S7-S32. Web.
Groene, O., Pfaff, H., & Hildebrandt, H. (2017). Germany: Scaling Up a Population-Based Integrated Healthcare System: The Case of “Healthy Kinzigtal” in Germany. In Health Systems Improvement Across the Globe: Success Stories from 60 Countries (pp. 167-174). CRC Press.
Umar, M., Mata, M. N., Abbas, A., Martins, J. M., Dantas, R. M., & Mata, P. N. (2021). Performance Evaluation of the Chinese Healthcare System. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5193. Web.