HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Healthcare System in US



Healthcare System in US

Introduction

United States is the largest and most diverse society on the globe. It spends almost 2 trillion dollars every year on health care, which is one in every seven dollars in the economy. U.S is one of the very few nations where all its citizens do not have medical coverage. Although it spends heavily on per capita on health care, and it has the most advanced medical technology system in the world, still it is not the healthiest nation on earth. The system performs so poorly that it leaves 50 million without health coverage and millions more inadequately covered (Garson, 2010).

Discussion

History of Medicare

In 1945, the United States president Harry Truman decided to bring to the attention of the Congress. The message was in an attempt to develop a universal plan that would be applicable to all United States citizens. The Congress contemplated the bill that would establish a healthcare plan. The debate for a comprehensive plan carried on for twenty years. The prolonged wait made president Truman give up on the idea. Even though the president had given up on the healthcare bill, Social Security system and a number of other participants continued the efforts. After two decades of struggle, in 1965, the Medicare and Medicaid plans became legislation after the Congress approved the bill. President Lyndon Johnson's vision of a “Great Society” and Harry Truman's initial efforts materialized. It would only be fitting for Harry Truman to be the first person to enlist in Medicare. This Act became applicable to the general public and has been serving since its introduction in 1965. There is currently a debate as to what changes does the Act need to address the changing needs (Shi & Singh, 2009).

Health Care Professionals Involved

Medicare healthcare system in United States has the best healthcare professionals in the world. It has nurses, therapists, physicians and best doctors in their team in the clinical care of almost any discipline from the allocations of medicine, whether main or subsidiary. They have the latest clinical techniques developed and available today. In addition, all the doctors they have are also positioned as the academic professors in the Faculty of in various colleges and universities. There have been many advances in the technology that has helped the healthcare professional to provide the best care to the patients. These advances have greatly helped the quality of care in the service of health, and in the future will reflect large monetary economies (Cutler, 2008).

Eligibility Criteria

Since the Medicare bill was applicable to all citizens, there had to be eligibility criteria through which people would receive medical insurance. The criteria for insurance require people to be of 65 years of age and a resident of the United States for 5 years to qualify for Medicare. Medicare also requires the person's spouse to pay medical taxes for a minimum of 10 years. Another condition for people under the age of 65 that are disabled should receive Social Security of retirement ...