HCA 315 Week 6 Discussion 1

HCA 315 Week 6 Discussion 1 | Southwestern College

Unit 6 Discussion 1

Prompt:

You are now more familiar with the current healthcare system within the United States and the complex economic issues that are involved. You've learned about the inefficiencies that exist and the significant problem of rising costs and supply and demand in the United States.

According to Dewar, "The proportion of GDP devoted to health care in the United States and other high-income countries is likely to continue to rise with--

·         improving medical technology

·         the shifting of the age distribution of the population

·         increases in longevity

·         and the fact that health care tends to be a superior good

However, if cost-effectiveness is taken into consideration, the trend in healthcare costs is much less alarming.   Programs to improve the overall health status of the population could also reduce the proportion of GDP devoted to health care. Although there are many types of market failures in the production and consumption of health care, the rising costs of health care do not at present appear to be primarily the result of market failure. Market failures in the production and delivery of health care have been somewhat offset by the countervailing power of third-party payers."

·         Do you agree with the above statement?  Are there holes in the statement/theory?  If so-identify and discuss.

Please include the following in your discussion:

·         If you were to develop the next generation healthcare plan that was economically sound, what would it look like? 

o    Would it allow insurance companies, i.e. third-party payers, to dictate how and when and at what cost(s) health care is administered?

o    Include in what sense Americans have a right to medical care.

§  In what sense is access to medical care, not a right?

§  Discuss if you think an increase in the average American income affects the level of health in the United States? 

§  What about in a poorer country like Haiti?

·         Compare your plan to that of another country. 

o    Identify that country.

o    Provide information over the type of healthcare system it has, i.e. Single-payer, Universal care, National care, etc. 

o    Include the elements of that healthcare system in comparison to the U.S. elements.

o    Are consumers in this identified country able to purchase additional insurance to supplement what their country provides, if applicable?

·         Why is it so difficult to determine which country has the best health system?

o    Describe the observable issues related to the evaluation of the systems as well as possible ways to overcome these difficulties.

Participation Requirements:

Original discussion forum posts:

·         Create a thread for your original post identified with your name.

·         Prepare a quality, substantive post that addresses the objectives of the discussion forum and the expectations set forth in the grading rubric

·         Include supportive evidence; such as direct applicable experience and expert sources.