However, health care systems, especially in the United States may be defined under two different contexts – the theoretical approach and the practical approach. The aforementioned definition of health care, under the context of the UDHR and the ICESRC, is the theoretical approach in tagging what health care systems should be. In other words, what the UDHR and the ICESRC presents of what health care systems should be is the idyllic dimensions of health care – theoretical and ideological.
Defining health care systems under the pretenses of a flawless and all-addressing framework of the UDHR and ICESRC does not mean that it will be the same under the practical approach. In reality, health care system, most especially in the US, has failed in all sides to serve its purpose as a means of alleviating human conditions in terms of health and wellbeing. Apparently, the health care system is not an independent body of application that is free from external influence. It cannot stand alone without the support of the government and its people, most especially in the area of obtaining financial resources.
Therefore, gauging the economic standing of a particular nation will determine how the health care system will work to provide access and wide coverage for the people. It will then follow that a poor economy will result to the breakdown of the health care system, resulting to the decline in the quality of health and wellbeing led by human beings within nations. (Hockenberry, Udoji, & Merz, 2008) Such is the case of the US as the economy contributed to the extreme downfall of the nation’s health care system.
This assertion of the failure of the US health care system to realize its purpose and role to human life is supported by the research conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Although limited access to health care and coverage was a problem prior to the economic crisis, it is undeniable that the financial breakdown has brought it to the extremes. The situation is synonymous to a mild disease that worsened due to external conditions that aggravated the symptoms. At this point, it has become more difficult to try and weather the disparaging situation of the health care system when the economy leaves no hope of recovering in due time.
Due to the position of the economy, individuals are now neglecting their health as they are incapacitated to afford much needed health care services. If this will continue, the nation will be looking at a deteriorating society – unproductive and inefficient – due to their subdued health and wellbeing conditions. Aside from the assertions presented by Kaiser Family Foundation, IMS Health has also provided statistical evidence that shows how the priority and focus provided by Americans to health care has declined due to the economic downturn.
The data were gathered during the first quarter of the year, since signs of the declining economy have been perceived. Since the first quarter of the year, the number of prescriptions being filled up in the nation has declined dramatically. Percentage of decline of prescriptions increases as the months progress. Information presented by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or NAIC reveals how the economic crisis has lessened the number of individuals who visit their doctor due to health problems that they have been encountering.
Six hundred eighty six respondents were interviewed regarding the matter and twenty percent of the total population has admitted to have decided not to visit the doctor due to the cost of medical services and fees. In addition, individuals have neglected the need to medicate themselves as a means of alleviating illnesses and diseases. Majority of patients has also admitted to have avoided purchasing prescription drugs due to their inability to afford what it entails. (Furhmans, 2008)