America s Health Care System - 1342 Words

How many times have you heard, America has the best health care system in the world? This may be partially true however, Americans are paying the most for health care in the world. Actually, many wonder whether we d be better off adopting a universal health care system. The Unites States is the only industrialized nation that does not provide universal health care for its citizens. Many feel the health care system either costs too much, covers too little and virtually makes it impossible to obtain. Somewhere down the road many Americans have seemed to inherit a unique ideology, that health care must be â€Å"earned,† no matter how much or how little control a person has over their health status? There is a dark stigma among some that truly†¦show more content†¦When one hears the term healthcare it can evoke personal experiences in one’s mind, good and bad. When it comes to obtaining health insurance the system is complex, difficult to navigate and there is no guarantee of approval due to pre-existing conditions or not meeting some specific criteria. To simplify the health care process, there are two basic categories: privately owned insurance companies (i.e Humana, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, etc) and government-funded insurance (i.e Medicaid, Medicare). Most working Americans get health insurance through their employers or organization called group insurance. However, some employers and organizations do not offer group insurance so an alternative would be to directly purchase their own individual health insurance. A universal health care system would give everyone the same access to the same quality of care. America has some of the best researchers, doctors, and treatment options in the world yet, we spend more money on medical care than any other country, â€Å"45 million† (Rashford, 2007) Americans still live without health insurance every day. â€Å"Medical problems contribute to 54.5 percent of personal bankruptcies and threaten the solvency of solidly middle-class Americans† (Dranove Millenson, 2006). In essence, the U.S health care system has become more focused on profit versus patient care. â€Å"The five largest