Reply to each discussion post. Your responses to peers need to be substantive, with constructive suggestions, critique, or insights. You are expected to use in-text citations and list of references to support your posts.
Week One: Discussion
Tiffani Gottschalk (students name)
The U.S healthcare system can be seen as unique and complex compared to healthcare systems in other countries. The U.S healthcare system is comprised of many different components; education, research, suppliers, insurers, providers, payers and government (Shi & Singh, 2019). With almost all other developed countries having universal healthcare coverage for their citizens, the U.S healthcare system does not offer access to its citizens through a national health insurance program. The U.S healthcare system is financed through a mix of public and private healthcare insurances. According to the U.S Census Bureau, in 2020, American citizens were able to gain access to healthcare through employer-based healthcare insurance, private health insurance, direct purchase coverage, and government healthcare programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, and Department of Veterans Affairs (Keisler-Starkey & Bunch, 2021). Since the U.S does not have a universal healthcare program that citizens can partake in, subsystems have developed within the U.S healthcare marketplace. These subsystems provide healthcare to certain populations based on qualifying criteria. The U.S healthcare system is considered to have “market justice,” rather than “social justice.”
In 1984, Canada passed the Canada Health Act to ensure universal healthcare coverage for all of its citizens. Canada has a publicly funded national healthcare system where funds are provided through individual and corporate income taxes. Canada’s government healthcare entity offers basic healthcare coverage to its citizens without any out-of-pocket fees. Canada’s national healthcare system is considered to have “social justice”. Comparing the U.S healthcare system and Canada’s healthcare system we can firmly state that:
• The U.S views healthcare as an economic good, while Canada views healthcare as a social resource.
• The U.S healthcare system is comprised of free market conditions, whereas Canada has full government involvement in health care delivery.
• U.S citizens are unable to access healthcare if they are unable to pay, Canadians are able to access healthcare regardless of their ability to pay.
• Healthcare coverage in the U.S is seen as a reward for ability to access, whereas Canada views healthcare as a basic right.
According to the "National Bureau of Economic Research", Canada spends far less of it's gross domestic product on healthcare spending than the U.S, has a lower infant-mortality rate, and higher life expectancy (Comparing the U.S, 2007).