Single Payer Universal Health Care with private entities as the fiscal intermediary

Single Payer Universal Health Care with private entities as the fiscal intermediary

Introduction

Single payer systems is considered as the unique method of financing health care, which comprises of two main elements, first money collected for the private health care and second the settlement of supplier for health care costs(Bentley et al, 2008). In this system, the gathering of funds and repayment is the major responsibility of only one organization i.e. the government of the country. According to this process, the government gathers required financial resources from people and different forms of business organization, mostly through taxes, and then the government repays the amount to the health care service providers to public that are mostly registered with health care program of the country.



Discussion

Meanwhile, healthcare center of United States are still using multiple player system for the collection of funds and then its reimbursement, instead of shifting their focus on single payer system for the collection of funds. In prevailing circumstances, the gathering of financial resources is combined responsibility of private insurance industry that accumulate premiums and other forms of payments from people and business institution, and government of the country that gather funs through taxes people of the country.

Like gathering of funds, both private insurance industry and government is mutually responsible for repayment of the funds to healthcare service providers, particularly that institution that are registered with medical fraternity. However, (Duggal, 2007) agrees with the fact, but explains that healthcare system of USA should take lessons from countries like Canada and Sweden that have successfully implemented single payer system in private healthcare and have able to reduce the cost of healthcare.

Meanwhile, (Ginsburg, 2008) agrees with the fact that US has not able to implement this system across private centers but there are certain program in America that have incorporated single payer system, for example, “the Medicare program” a kind of health insurance program which is designed for American citizens over 65 years of age. In this program, the service provider is solely responsible for satisfying the needs of its patients and is liable to pay bills to only institution i.e. the government of the country. Whereas, a normal healthcare service provider has to pay bills to all those private institution that are directly or indirectly involved in the providence of healthcare service.

On the other hand, the notion “single payer” is completely different from “socialized medicine” and “universal health care.” According to the concept of Socialized medicine is a similar type of system that is incorporated in National Health Service of United Kingdom where the process of deliverance of health care services are the responsibility of the government. In simple words, it means that government is liable to provide adequate healthcare services to its citizens; on the other hand, in case of single payer the government is not directly responsible for providing healthcare service.

Normally, physicians are found practicing in both private and public healthcare centers, for example, in ...