Major Components of U.S Health Care System



Major Components of U.S Health Care System

Introduction

The healthcare delivery system of United Sates of America is one of the most unique systems existing in the world. The healthcare delivery system is combination of four major components including finance, insurance, delivery, and payment which makes the healthcare delivery system most unique and qualitative in terms of providing healthcare unlike any other country in the world. However unlike most countries which provide readily access to these major components through national health insurance supported and financed by the government taxes are not found in case of U.S where every citizen is entitled of automatic insurance coverage (Shi & Douglas, 2010). Many authors have observed that U.S healthcare system is based on centrally fragmented which makes delivery system to undergo continuous periodic changes with response to access, finance, quality, payment systems and insurance of medical services. Because of this the goal to provide the basic healthcare needs to every men, women and child at affordable cost remains unmet.

Discussion

Financing

Financing is an important component of U.S healthcare system as healthcare is U.S is quite costly in terms of diagnostic tests, length hospital stays and other related procedures and medications. Research indicates that most people in U.S are privately insured through their employers and which is also provided for their spouse, children and parents. Most of employers especially the large multi-national organizations purchase health insurance plan which later supports them financing their healthcare needs during the job and after the retirement (Murray et al, 1992).

Researchers state that patients' behavior is highly significant with financing because some of patients who underestimate financing would continue to seek healthcare as there is no such deductions and copayments and patient who overestimate the cost sharing would skip necessary healthcare help and usually suffer from ...