The health care system in america and sweden

The health care policy of a nation is a very important aspect of a nation which should be one of the major priorities of the nation. However, regardless of how important a health policy is in a country, the way it is run differs from one nation to another. One can define a health care policy as a policy given to achieve a functioning health care system. However, health care policies are also decisions, plans, and actions which are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society. An excellent health policy can achieve so many things which may include creating a future which will help in the establishment of targets and points of references for different term (“Journal of Healthcare Communications”). There are four major types of health care system. Firstly, we have Beveridge Model. In this system, majority of the hospitals workers and doctors work for the government. Nevertheless, they still have the private physicians available. Secondly, we have Bismarck Model, this is a national single-payer health care system. This system looks like to the United States(U.S.) system because employers provides their employees insurance but unlike the U.S. in this system, everyone must be compensated. Thirdly, we have National Health Insurance Model, this system offers a third type of national single-payer health care system. These types of healthcare systems are very popular in Asian countries and the National Health Insurance Model put together some of both Beveridge and Bismarck. Finally, there is the private insurance system. In this system, individuals are either covered by their employers, covered by a private policy the policyholder purchases themselves or they go without coverage at all (Harveston, et al.).

However, in this paper we will only be comparing two countries who uses two of these major types of health care. We will be comparing Sweden who uses the Beveridge model and United States who uses the private insurance system. The results gotten from the health care in these countries are quite surprising given that U.S. has a larger GDP for health care than Sweden, still Sweden is still able to provide full health insurance for citizens. This paper will also aim to compare the differences between the health care policies of these two countries, how they successfully apply the policies and what they can get from one another to help them achieve a better healthcare system for the citizens.

The U.S. has a very high scientific research standard, which has helped the U.S. health system have one of the best medical treatment techniques around the world today. This high standard as even led foreigners to come to the U.S. for medication from all over the world (“Pocketsense.Com”). However, it is quite sad that the United States health care system does not cover all its citizens. Most people must be registered in a program or another, so they can have reduced health bill. Some are fortunate and can get insured under the company they work for while others will have to pay out of pocket. The U.S. has two major types of healthcare insurance system. An article ballotpedia said “The nation uses a mixed system of public and private insurance. In United States, there are two major health care programs. These programs are Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid are for low-income people and individuals with disabilities while Medicare are for people 65 or older or younger people with certain disabilities or kidney disease. Also, about 48 percent of Americans are enrolled in a private health insurance through their employer. While the remaining 52 percent remainder purchase private insurance from personal insurance company or they get insured through a different community funded program, such as the military’s TRICARE” (“Ballotpedia 2018”, par. 3 ). These programs help create stability in the way the health care system in U.S. is. Although Medicaid was created as a program for low-income citizens, there is still so many citizens out there that are still uninsured.

This is quite unfortunate that with how developed U.S. is and the improvement they have tried to make to their health care system, some people never get to visit the hospital throughout their whole life since they are unable to pay medical bills. A single doctor’s visit can lead to so many financial crisis therefore, some people are unable to get optimal care because they are not able to afford a good insurance or doctor. Thus, they are driven to either pay coinsurance or make a component which only leads to more financial crisis. Nevertheless, some people are still able to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in premiums, which are mostly made through their workplace donations. Some of these contributions don’t include prescriptions which are sometimes expensive. (Newkirk, par.2)

This high rate uninsured people are due to high cost, and unfortunately due to this many people are not able to receive the medication they need. An article in the Henry J Kaiser foundation said, “In 2016, uninsured nonelderly adults were three times as likely as adults with private coverage to say that they postponed or did not get a needed prescription drug due to cost (18% vs. 6%).” (“The Henry J. Kaiser”). Nevertheless, those that are uninsured do not get all the recommended services for follow up care after the treatment of an injury or chronic disease even if they are on the similar plans with an insured person. (“The Henry J. Kaiser”). However, with the enation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) there hasn’t been so many changes. The goal of this system was also to give those with low income the chance to afford Medical bills. The ACA created an even operation for the government, employers, and individuals, making sure that all Americans have access to affordable and good-quality health insurance. (Dickman, Samuel et al). Unfortunately, over 27 million Americans are still uninsured even with the gains from the Affordable Care Act. And this number is said to likely increase under the reforms advocated by Republicans. (Dickman, Samuel et al). The insurance policy that was created in the US was created to help reduce expensive health cost but there is still an increase in the number of Americans that cannot afford insurance. This high cost has led to the widening in life expectancy among the wealthy and the poor and if this continues, United States may become a nation which there will be little or no care for the poor and only the wealthy will be able to afford medication which will continue widen the life expectancy of the wealthy to the poor. (Dickman, Samuel et al). Healthcare bills in US has left so many people in debt. In an article in Lancet, it is said that “One in four non-elderly adults younger than 65 years (and one in three with annual household incomes $3000) and worse health than the overall population are particularly at risk” (Dickman, Samuel et al). These statistics shows how much debt so many young Americans are into because of medical bills in 2015 and one can only imagine how much change has occurred over the past 3 years.

In the graph above, it is seen that the United States spent almost three times on healthcare as the average of Sweden and other developed countries with comparable incomes, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). However, despite spending more the result gotten from US health care system does not bring better result compared Sweden’s system who only spent half. Sweden who spent $5,000 less per person than the United States on healthcare still has a higher life expectancy at birth than the United States. (“Los Angeles Times”)

However United States remains a great nation and I believe there could be a change in the health-care system if high quality care is given to all citizen. Sadly, financial institute of the health care system in the U.S. has not made this possible and this has left so many American uninsured. Compared to Sweden’s health care system, inequality in the U.S. system keeps rising and leaves millions of Americans not visiting the hospital. The United States is one of the developed countries that do not provide health care coverage to all citizens as a right. But I think it is high time U.S. found a new model of care that is both less expensive and gives better outcome. This can be done, but it is left for the citizens to insist on a more reliable and equal financial health system (Harveston, et al)

On like the U.S. system, Sweden uses the Beveridge system, where it is government funded but private physicians exist too. This government funded system gives everyone access to equal healthcare right and even non-citizen don’t pay as much as you will pay for medication in the U.S. The responsibility for health and medical care in Sweden is taken care of by mostly the central government, county councils and municipalities. These levels of Swedish government are involved in the health care system. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs at national level takes care of the overall health and health care policy while they work with eight national government agencies. The monetary health services are taken care of by 12 county councils and 9 regional bodies in the regional level and 290 municipalities are responsible for care of the elderly and the disabled at the local level. The Health and Medical Service Act takes care of the responsibilities of county councils and municipalities and this gives local governments more freedom in this area. The work of the government is to make principles and guidelines, and to set the political agenda for health and medical care. This is done successfully through laws and ordinances with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), that represents the county councils and municipalities. Everyone in within the municipalities are on the same level, so this helps give equal responsibilities to achieve a great system. In Sweden county councils, about 90 percent of their work concerns health care. The municipalities also take care of people with one physical or psychological disorders. They also provide support and services for citizens who are just released from hospital. Sweden also focusses on the use midwives for child births. Midwives is a person trained to assist women with child birth. Midwives play a vital role in the reduction of mortality during childbirth (Sweden).

There are three basic principles that help govern the Sweden health care system. These principles are:

1. Human dignity: All human beings have the same right to dignity regardless of their status in the community.
2. Need and solidarity: Those with the greatest need take priority in being treated.
3. Cost-effectiveness: When a choice has to be made, there should be a reasonable balance between costs and benefits, with cost measured in relation to improvement in health and quality of life (“Sweden”).

The strict obedience of these principles helps Sweden to continue to have a successful healthcare system, which makes them one of the best in the world

Compared to the U.S., the cost for health and medical care as part of the Sweden gross domestic product (GDP) is quite stable. The medical bills that patients pay covers only little of the total percentage of cost because most bills are paid by the county council and municipal taxes. Also, in Sweden there are no charges for dental services for children and adolescents until they are 19 years. For adults, some of the more expensive treatments are covered (‘Health Care In Sweden’). For adults, some of the more expensive treatments are covered (‘Health Care In Sweden’). This is different in U.S., because you have to stay under parent plan as a teenager to get a reasonable dental cost.

Finally, the differences in the life expectancy of the countries is not the same. would have thought that U.S. will have a longer life expectancy, but it is surprising that Sweden life expectancy is above U.S. The life expectancy of this countries differs a lot because of the way their health care system is run. As of 2017, Sweden is ranked 11th while U.S. is ranked 45. This is a very low ranking for the type of nation America is and I believe there could be a change in this ranking. The us can implement some of the policies of Sweden from their citizens. The U.S. as so many resources that can be used to achieve even a better health care system than Sweden. To get these changes, the U.S. should try having a government-owned and operated health care system and one or two single-payer health system. This type of system will help reduce medical bills and care will be available to all. Regardless of how great Sweden healthcare might seem, there are still some issues that needs to be addressed. According to an article in Sweden Sverige, “There is also discussion of health and medical services outside the EU, particularly in organizations such as the WHO, the OECD, the Council of Europe and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Many of the challenges confronting Swedish health care can also be seen in other countries, and include issues of access, quality, efficiency and funding” (‘Health Care in Sweden’). Sweden’s healthcare system has serious government problem that needs to be checked. The OECD noted that the one of biggest problem that the Sweden health care system might face is an adequate organized care between hospitals, primary care and local authorities. However, I believe that if they can maintain and continue to work on improving their system, they should be able to overcome any issue that may arise. I also think U.S. should adopt Sweden’s cost effectiveness principle. Applying this principle will help make sure patience get equal care as what they are paying for. The U.S. and Sweden are great nations and I believe they can have a great health care system if they decide to help each other.

Work Cited

• Ballotpedia. Healthcare policy in the United States – Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Healthcare_policy_in_the_United_States
• Dickman, Samuel et al. ‘Inequality and The Health-Care System In The USA’. The Lancet, 2018, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30398-7/fulltext?code=lancet-site.
• Harveston, Kate, et al. “4 Types of Healthcare Systems.” IVN.us, 21 May 2018, ivn.us/2018/05/21/types-of-healthcare-systems/.
• ‘Health Care In Sweden’. Sweden.Se, 2018, https://sweden.se/society/health-care-in-sweden/.
• ‘Healthcare In Sweden: A Guide To The Swedish Healthcare System’. Transferwise, 2018, https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/healthcare-system-in-sweden.
• ‘How Much Does An Emergency Room Visit Cost? – Costhelper.Com’. Costhelper, 2018, https://health.costhelper.com/emergency-room.html. Accessed 22 Nov 2018.
• Jain, Manoj. “3 Steps to a Better Health Care System.” KevinMD.com, 31 Oct. 2017, www.kevinmd.com/blog/2017/11/3-steps-better-health-care-system.html

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