Question

When discussing universal healthcare, which of the four main institutional models do you think is best? Will healthcare financing ever be just and fair?

Answer 1

The four institutional models of Universal healthcare includes The Beveridge Model, The Bismarck Model, The National Health Insurance Model, and The Out-of -pocket Model.

• The Beveridge Model

In this model, healthcare is run by the Government. Your taxes cover the cost of running the hospitals, so you don't have to worry about being billed for an injury, illness or check up. Because everyone is guaranteed healthcare, the shortage of professional personnel and the over-utilization of the system leads to long wait time for patients.

• The Bismarck Model

This model is more privatized. healthcare costs are usually covered by yourself and your employer. Insurance has to be offered to everyone, hospitals are run by individuals instead of the Government. The Government still has a big say in the industry, costs stay low.

This model costs individuals more than the Beveridge Model.

• The National Health Insurance Model

The National Health Insurance Model of healthcare has privatized practices like Bismarck model, but it is paid by the Government like Beveridge model. The Government is usually able to keep costs low for patients. But we can't choose what medical procedures they will pay for. The time taken to get treated will be so long. This type of healthcare system are most popular in Asian countries, this model combines aspects of both Beveridge and Bismarck. This system have better health outcomes. For example, Japan uses this system with a heavy emphasis on preventive care and have some of the highest life expectancies in the world.

• The Out-Of-Pocket Model

In this model, everything is upto the individual. All healthcare practices are privatized. The patients are required to come up with enough money to pay for the bill themselves. In this system, the poor people have to go without medical care.

Based on the comparison of these four models of Universal healthcare, The National Health Insurance Model is better than the other three models.

In the developed world, the United States does not provide a complete healthcare access system. Some people do not qualify for the medicare system because of their age, house hold income, or personal circumstances and experience a type of Universal care. not everyone qualifies at all times for medical access.

The main advantages of healthcare financing includes

• It lowers the cost of healthcare for the economy.
• Reduces administrative costs for care access.
• Simplifies the rules process
• Removes the competition
• Creates a work force that is healthier

The main disadvantages of Universal healthcare includes

• It require people to pay for services they do not receive.
• It may stop people from being careful about their health.
• It may limit the accuracy of patient care.
• This may cause long wait times. Some elective procedured may require 9-12 months of waiting before they can be scheduled.
• It limits the payouts which doctor received. This is one of the reason why quality services are not always provided.
• It can limit new technologise because there is less funding available to research new technologies within the field.
• It requires significant budgeting skills.
• It may limit services.
• Universal healthcare may restrict access to certain procedures or medications if the chances of patient success are minimal. These system might choose palliative care over life-saving measures.
• It may offer multiple systems of coverage, which increases patient costs.

So based on these disadvantages, Universal healthcare financing will never be just and fair.