The American Health Care System is Most Expensive but not the Best in the World

No doubt, the United States has gained enough attention on the amount it spends on wellness cargon every course of instruction. Ten years ago, it was documented that America spends $4,178 per capita per year on wellness care (Chua 5) with the second superior spender disbursal almost just half of what this country spends. Switzerland, which then held second run in health care spending, spent only $2,794 per capita per year on health care. Up to the present, 15% of this countrys GDP goes to health care plot of land most of developed countries spend only an fair of 8.6% of their GDP on health care (Chua 5). By far, the United States is the greatest health care spender among the make-up for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. In spite of the whopping amount that goes to health care each year, it could be argued that Americans spend a lot on health care without providing the silk hat possible health services to Americans. This is the position that shall be def ended in this paper. To be able to show that the American Health Care musical arrangement lags rat in spite of spending, it will be opera hat to first frame certain standards.For this paper, the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO) should be used. In 2001, WHO pegged the goals of world health care into three pricy health, responsiveness, and fairness in financing (WHO in Bureau of Labor command of the University of Maine 1). By good health, WHO simply refers to having desirable health for the citizens within the anticipate life cycle. This would mean the availability of health services that could aid the citizens personify a flourishing life from birth until death.Responsiveness, on the separate hand, refers to the consummation to which caregivers are responsive to the client/patient expectations with regard to non-health areas such as being treated with dignity and respect (Bureau of Labor and nurture o the University of Maine 6). Fairness in financing ref ers to a health care governing body that makes the less privilege overly spend less. This essence probably having wages caps or similar services that relieves the less privileged of health expenses. disposed(p) such, we could now look at how the American Health Care dodge measures up to such a standard.In spite of Americas colossal spending on health care, more than 50% of spending is calm down done by private entities 35. 8% are paid for by private insurance (American infirmary Association 6). Consumers out-of-pocket spending on health care account for 13. 7% of the 2003 health care usance, while other private expenditure account for 4. 8% of the expenditure (American Hospital Association 6). In spite of the very large per capita spending of the resign on health care, out-of-pocket spending and other private expenditure are still big.This probably may non be a very bad thing, just now in spite of all the cash going to health care, a large 15% of non- time-honored adult s do not maintain access to health care since this population is uninsured (Chua 1). converted to numbers, this amounts of millions of non- decrepit American adults who through both(prenominal) reason were unable to get each a publicly or privately funded insurance. This puts this population at risk, millions of potentially or actually productive Americans whose health is at risk because of some faulty health care system.If millions of non- antique adults are at a health risk due to lack of access to health care, the older also wealthy person their own share of problems in health care. It is true that the elderly aged 65 and above have access to Medicare. This means that the seniors have access to hospital services, physician services, as well as prescription medicine drug services (Chua 2). This sounds all good but there are geriatric needs that are not covered by Medicare. This forces the elderly to avail of exchange premiums that would make their Medicare account more usefu l for geriatric needs.The premium account would make the senior citizen have access to nursing facilities impediment care coverage and coverage for dental, hearing, or batch care. As such, the elderly would have to spend a total of 22% of their income for the cost of health care (Chua 2). It could be noticed that the premium account covers services that should be basic for the elderly. These services may be optional for younger populations but these become real needs for people aged 65 and above.As such, it becomes a source of wonder why an insurance card that is designed for the elderly and the disabled requires an account upgrade for services like nursing facilities, dental, hearing, and vision care. The United States ranks poorly in infant mortality rate compared to other OECD countries it ranked 26th in infant mortality rate among the change countries (Bureau of Labor Education in the University of Maine 5). This speaks of a big problem someplace in the health care system th at fails to save infants in instances that ought to be curable.America also ranked 24th among the OECD countries on disability-adjusted life expectancy rate. This means that many Americans are expecting to live a part of their lives as disabled. This should not come as a surprise since millions of Americans do not have good access to health care. Given the above reasons, America spends besides much but inefficiently. We may have the biggest spending rate on health care but America is far from being the best health care service provider in the world. Works Cited American Hospital Association. 2005.Overview of the US health care system. Database online. http//www. aha. org/aha/issues/CBHCS/index. html. Bureau of Labor Education of the University of Maine. 2001. The US healthcare system best in the world or just most expensive? Chua, Kao-Ping. 2006. Overview of the US Health Care System under the AMSA Jack Routledge Fellowship. http//www. amsa. org/uhc/CaseForUHC. ppt. 2007. Health Care in the United States. http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States.