US healthcare sector is undergoing a serious crisis. Healthcare costs are booming up without any control (refer List II). State budget deficits and federal cuts result in reduction in Medicare and Medicaid programs and employees are devoid of employment-based benefits. Nearly 45 million people are without insurance. Essential medical services and medications are unaffordable for millions of people (refer List 2). Advocacy for providing affordable health care is improving the situation.
The state-based campaigns and other campaigns developed by various social service organizations are developing strategies to solve the affordability problems in health care sector. UHCAN provides various plans and strategies, coordinates and facilitates advocacy groups and educate the people for the welfare of the healthcare system. Almost all industrialized countries have some single-payer universal health care system. Canada and UK have complete healthcare coverage system. The United States is the only industrialized nation where health care is not a citizenship right.
The United States has a bad health care statistics compared to other industrialized nations. Considering the health care ranking, United States is raked 18th in longevity, 67th in immunizations and 16th in infant mortality. Citizens are not able to access good health care facilities because of unaffordable costs (Barlett and Steele, 2004). Financing a public health care system (through taxes) is easier and affordable compared to administering another free health care system privately. United States spend more per capita amount on health care sector compared to other countries having health insurance plans that are publicly financed.
In 1992, State Health Care Access Commission gave a report which showed that a publicly administered and publicly financed health care set up could save several million dollars. Such a system could cover the entire population, almost all medical care requirements, long-time care medical costs and Medicare, all without any sort of co-pays. The system can help avoid all unnecessary administrative costs and can buy medications in bulk; avoiding the extra expense caused by individual purchase.
A report given by (Massachusetts Medical Society the AMA of Massachusetts) also gave the same opinion. There is no exact formula for universal healthcare. Different nations have different way of accomplishing of health care and medical insuring. The present healthcare system in US is inefficient in many respects (Victoria, 2004). People are unable to afford regular check up and proper treatment. Working-class persons are found to be highly susceptible to dangerous diseases which could have been identified and treated if the person had undergone regular checkups.
Majority are not able to bear the financial burden of treating these diseases as the diseases have reached its later stages. They also could not come under the health care coverage because of the tough enrollment rules followed by the private and government health care programs. Millions (even children) in United States are devoid of proper health care coverage. According to the recent estimates of U. S. Census Bureau, nearly 15% of the total population of America (coming around 46 million) do not have a health insurance coverage.
The population out of the insurance umbrella is increasing every year. Working class people of United States are not given insurance cover by their employers. These employees are also not privileged to get the insurance cover for the low income people. These unfortunate ones are also not able to afford other health insurance programs offered for individuals. Certain states like California provide coverage for children (and not for adults). The lack of health insurance for normal citizens has pushed United States to grave healthcare catastrophe.
The conditions of the minorities are even worse than this. Great health care disparities prevail in United States. Health status of the negatively privileged population is poor. Ethnic and racial minorities suffer great segregation problems in America. The African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans struggle to meet the medical expenses. They are comparatively more vulnerable to chronic diseases than the whites. This ill-privileged group has high mortality rate and negative health outcomes.
The heavy racial and ethnic disparities in United States reflect in health care sector also. For example, cancer rate is found to be very high among the African Americans (nearly 25% higher than the whites). Other blacks, especially Hispanics, are highly risky towards diabetes. The black minorities who live in unhealthy environment are also vulnerable to various other problems like AIDS and infant mortality. Separate legal entities offer health care service in United States. United States is the nation that spent highest amount of money and resources for its healthcare requirements.
The costs on pharmaceuticals and other expenses are so high that a good percent of the GDP is streamed to the health care sector. The federal government is unable to give universal health care to the entire population. People without health insurance coverage must pay privately for their medical services. Medical expenses are the primary reason for the personal bankruptcy in the United States. The overall performance of the health care system is below average in United States that a system that replaces the existing one is the real need of the hour.
The health care needs of United States would definitely be better with a Universal health care system as the current system is proved to be inefficient in solving the healthcare crisis in United States. Universal healthcare is a system sponsored by the government that offers healthcare coverage for the people of the nation irrespective of their income range or financial or employment status. It is a typical health care system in which all citizens of a particular political or geographic entity are covered, irrespective of the medical condition.