Assignment 4

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Week 3 Assignment

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1. Choose a country not included in your reading and briefly describe their health care

system. Does it follow one of the three models discussed?

The country I did brief research regarding their health care system was Japan. They

currently follow a universal healthcare system, making it a legal requirement for all persons to

have health insurance through the state. They are in a socialized health insurance system. Health

care is financed through government-mandated contributions by employers and employees, and

is approximately five percent of the member’s salary. Their health care system follows the SHI

model as discussed in week four’s assigned readings.

2. Research the Commonwealth Fund on the Internet. According to the report, what steps

should be considered in developing policies to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities?

According to Anna Beal, reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care takes

“broadening health care coverage, adopting common quality improvement efforts, improving the

training of health care providers, and boosting the ranks of minority clinicians” (2004). Minority

children do not have health insurance, and would greatly benefit from the State Children’s Health

Insurance Program. Cultural competency training should be a part of medical school’s

curriculum in order for physicians to acquire cultural competence. Having minority providers

would assist in the ethnic disparity, as they would serve in low-income populations. Beal also

recommends the creation of an advisory council of minority health experts to provide oversight

on the programs set in place to break racial disparities (2004).

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3. Visit the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. What are they

doing to try and eliminate health disparities?

The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities conducts scientific

research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. They are one of twenty-seven

institutes established that reviews and evaluates minority health and health disparity research,

conducts support research, promotes training, and disseminates research information. Their

vision is to ensure all populations have equal opportunity to live long healthy lives. To eliminate

health disparities, they have research programs, education and training programs in place with

the purpose of examining health disparity populations and spreading the information through

outreach initiatives.

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Resource Citation:

(2019). About NIMHD. Retrieved on 22 December 2019 from

https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/.

(2019). Healthcare in Japan: A guide to the Japanese healthcare system. Retrieved on 22

December 2019 from

https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/healthcare-system-in-japan.

Beal, A. (2004). Policies to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Child Health and

Health Care. Retrieved 22 December 2019 from

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/journal-article/2004/sep/policies-

reduce-racial-and-ethnic-disparities-child-health.