Question

1. What is the cost of health care in the U.S.? What is the comparative value of the U.S. Healthcare System?

2. Who pays for health care in the U.S.? Who should pay?

3. Is individual access to health care a right or a privilege?

4. What, in your opinion, are the current U.S. Health Care System design shortfalls, if any? How would you re-design it, if needed? Who should be responsible for the re-design?

5. What are the essential provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)? What impact do you think the PPACA will have on the U.S. Healthcare System? The U.S. economy?

6. Which problems would Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) solve? Do you think ACOs present an effective solution to these problems?

7. What role do registered nurses currently play within the U.S. Healthcare System? What role, in your opinion, should the RNs play? How effective is the RN profession? Is there a common voice among the nurses in the U.S.?

8. What are the essential themes in the latest Institute of Medicine’s Report on the Future of Nursing? Do you agree with the Report’s findings?

Answer 1

• The US spends 18% of its annual GDP on healthcare, whereas Switzerland spent 12% of its GDP on healthcare. Switzerland is the next-highest country in terms of healthcare cost. In comparable countries the total money spent on healthcare per person is half that of the U.S. The healthcare cost per person in other countries is $5,198. However it is $10,348 in the U.S.
• The U.S healthcare is funded by the government, private hospitals as well as the individuals. The federal government cover at least half of the medical spending through programs such as Medicare. Individuals with medical insurance should pay for the medical expenses.
• Healthcare can be considered as a basic right as it is a legitimate function of the government. Democracy enable every person to have equal access to health irrespective of the race or religion. Even though some people can easily access the services but healthcare is more of a human right then privilege.
• The U.S healthcare system have shortcomings such as poor accommodation to the patient’s needs and slow adaptation to the rising technology in healthcare. Consolidating better services at lower cost accommodation can help the U.S healthcare system to address patient needs and embracing technologies by the healthcare authorities can help the U.S healthcare system to address the rising technological needs. Training and demonstrations can help the U.S healthcare system to facilitate technological improvements in the processing.
• The key provisions of the affordable care act address the issue of rising health cost, providing more health insurance premiums, fostering effective treatments, prevention programs and primary care. Implementation of this act will have a positive impact over the U.S population. It will decrease the number of uninsured Americans to half. This will have positive impact over the U.S economy.
• The ACOs will solve the problem of better healthcare for patients, physician-driven treatment and less waste in the Medicare systems. I think that implementation of the ACOs can improve the U.S healthcare system and make healthcare more affordable and accessible.
• The RNs provide coordinated, quality and effective care to the patients. The work as health coaches and strives to prevent illness in patients. The profession of a RN is very respectful as it involve quality care to the patients. All the nurses strive to ensure safety and wellness of the patients.
• Theme of the IOM is to provide evidence-based research and recommendations for science policy and public health. The IOM future of nursing provide a prescription for the nurses that facilitate their shift from hospital-based service to wellness of the population. I completely agrees with the report findings as it ensure safety and wellness of the people.