The health care system
in America
Andreson Timothe
Liberty University
Government 458-B01
Due date
Introduction
•The healthcare policy is based on the steps that are necessary to implement a
successful policy that is comprehensive to all nationals.
•The current state of the US health systems is looked at and compared to how it
should be. Further comparisons include benchmarking at the policies implemented by
the Canadian government.
•The presentation also looks at steps that are necessary for policy process
implementation through an in-depth analysis.
•The criterion on which the healthcare policy is discussed and involves several
important qualities.
Background information
•In America, one of the hardest things to accomplish is having a fair healthcare system
which is affordable to all citizens. Many individuals cannot afford medical bills.
•The rates of medical coverage have decreased over time due to an increase in the cost
of living, making it hard for them to afford health coverage.
•Given an example of someone who gets a regular check for their job, they can only
afford food and the necessities and adding medical coverage to them becomes more
costly, (Buch, 2019).
•If, the government can provide a healthcare system that is affordable to all citizens;
they can live a comfortable, live healthy and happy in their family.
Need for fair health care system
•A country with a low healthcare system does not lead its citizens in a better direction. Health is wealth and
shows better living conditions for the citizens of the given nation.
•If people get sick and are not treated well; it affects the economic production levels as they cannot produce to
their best.
•Better living standards are maintained through citizens living a healthy lifestyle to live happily.
•One of the most important ways of improving the healthcare system is through increasing the minimum wage
bill for citizens to feed their families and be able to afford medical bills with minimal stress.
•As stated in the bible, 3rd john 1:2: dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well
with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
•Health has been recognized in the bible as important and one cannot enjoy life with poor health conditions.
Current state of the health care system in US
•The health system in America has many challenges that make it challenging to deal
with.
•This can be seen with the increased number of people without health care insurance,
and the number is approximated to be 27.5 million. The health policy in America is
costly, and those with minimum paychecks cannot afford medical coverage.
•According to the US Census Bureau, the percentage of people covered by Medicaid
decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 17.9 per cent between 2017 and 2018.
•This shows how it is hard for some families to pay for their medical expenses and pay
other utilities.
Current state of the health care system in US
•The government can change the current health system through the provision
of jobs that reduces the tussle of their earnings.
•Most Americans work on two jobs to be to afford the necessary expenses of
their lives as well as meet their medical bills.
•The health care policy tends to receive a lot of focus when it comes to
political rifts of voters as they feel that the government can do more.
•The ruling government can always make the affordable care act come to light
that will improve the systems of health and make it affordable to all individuals.
Advantage of fair health system policy
•Through provision of a sound health care system, the citizens of America can have increased
living standards and live a life they are happy with. They will not have to work so hard to afford
the basics hence improved living standards.
•Treatment systems have been scary to most individuals who get sick and cannot meet the
expected expenses. The adverse effects of this scenario are that it may lead to increased
mortality rates.
•The different parties involved to offer better medical covers include the health care providers,
drug companies, and insurers.
•The system should not provide expensive use of medical technologies but should offer
efficient and implement techniques that lead to optimal outcomes of health in the US.
The ideal healthcare system
•The what needs to be done in the current healthcare system to what has been done
shows a vast difference and requires considerable changes to bridge the gap between
the ideal and the current system.
•The process of bridging the gap can take some years, which depends on the amount
of work they wish to put in.
•A great example is seen in Canada where healthcare services focus on equity and
accessibility to all citizens regardless of their social, cultural, political, or economic
circumstances.
•United states should aim at having such a sound healthcare system for the good of
all citizens.
Comparison between the US and Canadian
health system
•Canadian citizens are part of the publicly funded healthcare system and expect value,
quality and robust performance as the return of their investment.
•Some of the conditions that determine the demand for healthcare include an ageing
population and has a high prevalence of chronic illnesses.
•The Canadian government takes good care of its citizens and don’t consider their
health status.
•It ensures that all citizens can afford their medical bills through having decent jobs to
cater for their needs. The US government need to borrow these aspects and
implement necessary changes, (Leiss et al., 2018).
Speculations to legislative issues and open
approach
•The first speculation is the use of elite theory. It states that values and inclinations of
the standard open are less persuasive in forming open arrangement than those of a
littler, unrepresentative gather of individuals, or elites.
•The highly esteemed people in the society thus have an enormous impact and can
push for relevant changes they wish to see in the American health system.
•The second speculation is seen through a public policy which shows a continuous
struggle among organized interest groups. If the “pluralists” push for the change they
need, it becomes easy for them to have new changes being implemented, (Ryan, 2012)
Speculations to legislative issues and open
approach
•The third theory that is important refers to an institutional theory which argues out that
government structure are orchestrated, and their lawful powers and rules can have a change of their
wish.
•It ensures that great institutions in the society like courts, legislatures can relate to one another and
have the desired change.
•The fourth speculation that can lead to necessary changes includes the free choice and formal
hypothesis. It bases on the financial and microeconomic hypothesis of employment expansion.
•The last theory refers to the political framework hypothesis and is based on how the government
reacts to request from the general public.
•These policies can aid in pushing for the desired changes that are inclusive of all individuals in
society.
Estimation of decision making features
•The decision development and execution features are essential to health policy
changes and need a thorough analysis through assessing public policy and providing
access to healthcare.
•Policy research can be used to gather and analyze data that gathers and analyzes
causes and consequences of societal changes.
•Policy research is based on the theories and techniques of economics, political
science, history, psychology, philosophy, and other research and technological areas
since the perspectives of several disciplines can only grasp policy issues.
•The challenges of using this technique are that it may be multifaceted with individuals
having different ideas on what ought to be done.
Steps in public policy process
•The most critical step to consider refers to the presentation of logical steps or phases
that provide rational solutions to the problems faced in the healthcare sector.
•Reasonable decision-making models, one identifies a dilemma, indicates the aims and
aims to be pursued, considers several possible options, analyses each of the
alternatives to explain their implications and then proposes or selects an option with
the more remarkable ability to solve the problem.
•There are five steps that will be considered in the public process approach to have an
adequate and relevant change to prevail.
Steps in public policy process
•The following steps are necessary for developing any health policy approach, which
includes:
•1. Defining and analyzing the problem.
•2. policy development process.
•3. evaluation of criteria to use.
•4.considering options and evaluating parameters.
•5. policy interventions that the authorities need to implement to ensure policy works
as intended.
Defining and analyzing the problem & policy
development process.
•The first step is always to find the problem to determine what dilemma the challenge
presents. Analyzing it at the beginning gives guidelines on how unsatisfactory
circumstances become prevalent in the health care system.
•Policy analysts are involved in the collection of data regarding the policy changes to
implement.
•The second phase is the most critical step and involves developing policy by finding
new ways of addressing the challenges that prevail.
•Experts give their insights that will offer the best policies that are more desirable than
conventional ones and find how they will relate with different stakeholders like the
private sector to sustainable changes.
Evaluation of criteria to use & considering
options and evaluating parameters
•Despite the number of options available for better policies, its evaluation is critical.
An example is given through determination of financing systems that will make the
policy become a success.
•Functional reliability of the policy is essential and can be tested through developing
computer algorithms. The operational infrastructure of the policy will also be looked
at to determine the technological viability required for the policy.
•Parameters at hand include potential courses of action and assessing if each policy
matches the requirements. The policy alternatives can be assessed through possible
efficacy, equity and economic performance.
policy interventions that the authorities need to
implement to ensure policy works as intended.
•The chosen policy intervention should provide a straightforward way of dealing with
the challenges faced in the health care systems. Researchers have done an after analysis;
lawmakers are left with the responsibility of implementing the policy.
•It has to be subject to restrictions and address significant constraints that the policy
may face through its running phase.
•A common criticism inside policy research is that a great deal of study remains
unread and discarded. Either because it does not discuss the problems that decision-
makers believe are relevant or because it is not adequately conveyed to them so that
they can accept it.
Criteria for evaluation
•The arrangement choices are essential as its evaluation is based on essential estimates.
• There is an assortment of strategies utilized to form figures.
•Estimating strategies extend from straightforward stereotyping to complex factual
equations.
•Some of the essential methods for evaluation include the instinct method through the
use of techniques like the Delphi method, possibility evaluation, or situation writing.
•The chosen methods need to show coherent consistency. Hypothetical factors are also
crucial for determining the links among the criteria.
Types of criterion that fits the health policy.
•There are eight different types of criteria that are important in fitting health care
systems and include:
• 1. Effectiveness- Through analysis of what can work and what does not work can the
policy be gauged on. It needs to address the prevailing challenges of the current health
system and ensure it is viable. Viability will thus be based on objectives and goals to
achieve.
•2. Efficiency- it refers to ways of advocating for change through the allocation of
adverse resources to meet the needs of the citizens. The costs of programs need to
match the benefits to ensure that the society is not deprived of its value through
labour, capital and resources foregone, (Wolman et al., 2017).
Types of criterion that fits the health policy.
•3. Equity- it may have different perspectives with one based on the result or handle
values. The criteria need to have been central and consider redistributive policies to
offer more assistance to the poor.
•Freedom and uniformity of the policy to need to cut through all boards despite
inclinations and enhance political feasibility.
•4. Liberty or freedom- this entails how the policy restricts privacy or public extension
and captures aspects of individual rights and choices.
•Just like other policies like education, the policy must have freedom in terms of
individuals and provide services inequitable terms.
Types of criterion that fits the health policy.
•5. Political feasibility- this refers to the possibility of a policy to become
adopted and may be based on current economic terms and political climate.
•Politicians can access the possibility of success or failure and reduce the
impact of the social problem through welfare reforms of legislation.
•6. Social acceptability- this refers to how the public will accept and support the
proposed strategy.
•The policy must meet the demand of the people and become comprehensively
inclusive of becoming acceptable in society, (Brook et al., 2018).
Types of criterion that fits the health policy.
•7. Administrative feasibility is another factor to consider and shows the likelihood of
the health department to implement the required changes or deliver the proposed
policy.
•The policy may burden the parents and guardians and may also lead to higher
unsustainable administrative policies that the government must consider.
•8. Technical feasibility- this refers to the availability of required technology that is
important to make the program become a success. Technologies that increase
collection of data, its retrieval once stored as well as cash registries are very vital for
making the policy become a success, (Kraft & Furlong, 2018)
Conclusion
•The actions that need to be taken refers to the determination of adequacy that will aid
in reducing economic shocks that affect the health policy.
•Financial and technological considerations are some of the challenges that the policy
may face.
•The next steps after implementing the policies involve a continuous assessment to
determine if it faces the social problems of the citizens of America.
•Different individuals and corporation can be part of the desired change in the
healthcare policy.
References
Brook, Robert H. and Mary E. Vaiana. "The United States of America: The U.S.Healthcare System: A Vision for
the Future." In. 1st ed., 69-74: CRC Press, 2018.
Buch, E. (2019). Old & sick in america: The journey through the health care system. Muriel R. Gillick, chapel hill:
University of north carolina press, 2017, 300 pp doi:10.1111/maq.12473
Kraft, M. E. & Furlong, S. R. (2018). Public policy: policy, analysis and alternatives. Thousand Oaks, CA: CQ Press.
Leiss, William, Stephen Kline, Sut Jhally, Jacqueline Botterill, and Kyle Asquith. ". (2018)Issues in Social
Policy. 4th ed., 373-406: Routledge.
Ryan Alan. (2012) On Politics: A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present, Liberty University
Online.
Wolman, H., Wial, H., Clair, T., & Hill, E. (2017). SHOCKS AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC RESILIENCE. In
Coping with Adversity: Regional Economic Resilience and Public Policy (pp. 15-51). ITHACA; LONDON:
Cornell University Press. Retrieved October 8, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt1w0dc2v.5
