Healthcare ip
The developed nations or the high-income countries in the 21st century offer national and universal health care based on their health policies and laws. However, the United States of America as the superpower, on the other hand, does not have any universal health care programs to the citizens. One primary reason that explains the scenario is that the U.S. has a more expensive system of health care than the other OECD countries. The per capita expenditure that the U.S uses on health care is the highest among the OECD countries. Considering the health care expenditure of the other developed countries on health care services the United States spends an extra 200% on health care services to the citizens (Glied and Mahato, 2008). The high expenditure on services such as health care has developed based on the government being held hostage by several interest groups. Secondly, the United States legislative and political system affects the development of sound policies to the citizens (Bernanke, 2008). The decision on health care services is therefore controlled by factors such as the elected leaders, decisions by the congressional committees and the need for the majority support in the Senate for the passage of meaningful legislations. Thirdly, the opposition of the American society to universal health care based on political differences controlled by the two common ideologies of governance, that is the laissez-faire tradition and the progressive tradition. Finally, the United States government failure to use the bargaining power to control the cost of healthcare provision. Instead of controlling the 70 to 90% of health care provisions like the other OECD countries, the United States government pays over 50% expenses hence lack the purchasing power to control health care systems (Bernanke, 2008).
Based on the lack of control of cost in the health care provision sector the United States, therefore, spends more than the other OECD Countries in health care services and systems. One of the core reasons for the high spending in medical services in the U.S involves the expensive mix of delivering treatments to the patients (Lemieux, Chovan, and Heath, 2008). Medical attention in several cases requires high-ranking physicians and medical officers who require very high fees and use more complicated and high tech procedures to deliver health care services. The United States high expenditure also comes with the development and the acquisition of sophisticated medical equipment such as mammograms, MRI scanners and standby C-Section machines that require an extra cost to operate and maintain (Glied and Mahato, 2008). Building the extra capacity to have the best medical officers and the sophisticated machines for medical procedures add to the cost of health care services delivery. Another important reason for the high spending in health care services in the United States, as opposed to the other developed countries, involves the high administrative cost. The extraordinary administrative cost comes in as a result of the inclusion of the private insurance to cover more than half of the U.S. population (Bernanke, 2008). The complexity in the private insurance contradicts the public interest in health care provision but the support gained from the political support makes it difficult to break. Lastly, the work regulations and wages contribute in driving up the health care cost based on referrals by medical officers and requirement of high reimbursement by the specialist. The high cost of drugs and provision of medical attention further drives the health care cost up higher than that of the other OECD countries.
Consequently, the other developed countries’ life expectancy and longevity statistics are more superior than that of the U.S. One main explanation for the scenario is that the United States population experiences a higher incidence of chronic illnesses than the other developed countries. For instance, the United States population experiences a much high obesity level than other OECD countries thereby contributing to the high prevalence of chronic diseases in the population (Glied and Mahato, 2008). Additionally, the other developed countries tend to focus on preventive and primary care through checkups and offering preventive mechanisms to circumvent diseases. On the other hand, the United States system of health care service provision focuses more on the expensive curative mechanisms to the chronic diseases (Meara, Richards, and Cutler, 2008). The prevention mechanisms ensure that the citizens of the other developed countries are protected from chronic occurrences of diseases thereby increasing their life expectancy and longevity. The curative mechanism of the American system does not offer any option of prolonged life when it fails. Furthermore, the life expectancy and longevity statistics of the other developed countries is superior to that of America based on the offer of universal health care services to the citizens. The use of private insurance policies which are also very expensive has left half of the American citizens uninsured and an increasing underinsured population for health care services (Meara, Richards, and Cutler, 2008). Despite the high expenditure of the American government on technologies and medical procedures a high population still experience the difficulty of seeking medical attention. Life expectancy and longevity of any given country are not limited to high expenditure on health care but are connected to several factors that must be controlled at all costs.
References
Bernanke, B. (2008). Challenges for Health-Care Reform. Speech at the Senate Finance Committee Health Reform Summit, Washington DC, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Glied, S. and B. Mahato (2008). The Widening Health Care Gap between High-and-Low-Wage Workers. Commonwealth Fund Publication No. 1129.
Lemieux, J., Chovan., T. and Heath., K. (2008). Medigap Coverage and Medicare Spending: A Second Look. Health Affairs, 27(2). 469-477.
Meara, E., Richards S., and Cutler, D. (2008). The Gap Gets Bigger: Changes in Mortality and Life Expectancy by Education, 1981-2000. Health Affairs 27 (2), pp. 350-360.
