The public policy of a government is determined by its actions and inactions in addressing conflict within the society. The policies of the government are mainly directed in providing benefits and livelihood needs to people who lack them, using taxes collected from the public. Sometimes policy making is a very complex process and amendments may be continuously made to make it more effective. The health policies of a government are determined by a complex process, then debated for consensus and finally implemented.
The health systems of the world differ in their perception of the health requirements of its people and the ways of achieving it. Health problems too vary from country to country and has a great degree of relevance on how health is perceived within that society. For instance in US, obese people are considered to be of poor health, while in other societies, it is even a desired condition, particularly with those who are thin (Jonas, Goldsteen & Karen, 2007). Societies have differing diagnostic and treatment models with correspondingly different training and authority of healers.
Countries and cultures have their own health systems which are distinctly organized and where, expected outcomes are different. However, there are many common goals among all healthcare systems. Ensuring healthcare for its poor or people unable to afford healthcare, is one of these common goals. Healthcare distribution being associated with poverty, it is an irony that poverty still exists in the US despite the fact that the country’s social welfare spending is over four times that required to eliminate poverty.
This is because most of the social welfare spending doesn’t reach the poor who actually needs them. Only about one-sixth of all federal social welfare spending is distributed based on poverty criteria. The major beneficiary of the social welfare spending is the middle class who do not fall under the poverty class. It is estimated that close to one-third of the population in the US are entitled to at least one form of government benefit.
The social insurance, unemployment compensation, veteran retirement benefits are provided regardless of wealth and income criteria. The public assistance programs like cash welfare assistance, Medicaid etc are provided on the basis of low income. About 60% of all federal government’s spending is focused on entitlements. Two-thirds of all entitlement spending is on Social Security, Medicare, veterans and federal retirees and only one-third of entitlement spending is for the welfare and Medicaid programs for the poor (Dye, 2004).