As the United States struggles toward a system of universal health care, many have looked at the Canadian health care system as a model. Only a few have looked toward France. That's a mistake for at least 2 reasons.
First, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), France has the best health care system in the world . It has been widely reported that the WHO found the French system to be number 1 while the Canadian system is number 30 and the U.S. number 37.
It should be noted here that the WHO rankings actually contain multiple rankings and the numbers generally quoted are the ranking based on the measure that the WHO calls the OP ranking. OP is said to measure "overall performance" adjusted to reflect a country's performance based on how well it theoretically could have performed. When reporting the rankings of 1 for France, 30 for Canada and 37 for the United States, it is the OP ranking being used.
Why did the French system do so well in the WHO rankings? The French system excels in 4 areas:
* It provides universal coverage
* It has responsive health care providers
* Patients have freedom of choice
* The health and longevity of the population
Second, we should be looking more closely at the French system because it has more similarities with the U.S. system than either the Canadian or British system. Many Americans assume that the French system is like the system in Britain. Nothing could be further from the truth or more insulting to the French.
Exactly like the United States, the French system relies on both private insurance and government insurance. Also, just like in America, people generally get their insurance through their employer. What is different is that everyone in France has health insurance. Every legal resident of France has access to health care under the law of universal coverage called la Couverture maladie universelle.
Under the French system, health insurance is a branch of Social Security or the Sécurité Sociale. The system is funded primarily by taxing the salaries of workers. An employee in France will pay about 20% of their salary to fund the Sécurité Sociale. These taxes represent about 60% of the cost of the health insurance plan.
The balance of the funding comes from the self employed, who pay more than salaried workers, and by indirect taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Finally, additional taxes are levied against other income, both direct and indirect.
The French share the same distaste for restrictions on patient choice as American do. The French system relies on autonomous private practitioners rather than a British-style national health service. The French are very dismissive of the British system which they call "socialized medicine." Virtually all physicians in France participate in the nation's public health insurance, Sécurité Sociale.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
HealthCare Systems
This particular system is basically an institute that works towards the conveyance of appropriate fitness care. It differs greatly all around the globe. The people who work towards providing this service through the respective organizations are known as experts and professionals in their field. It is often argued if these systems oblige private rights of the public or amplify the regulation of these industries by the administration of the particular country.
The aim of these health care organizations according to a recent statement has been explained as the promotion of good health amongst the people around the globe and their reaction towards it. These organizations are mostly quality oriented, well-organized and resourceful.
The funding of these organizations is done via quite a few numbers of methods. Off these the top most are insurance (public or individual), funding it out of ones own budget or charities to name a few. A contemporary research has concluded that there is no proven relation between its cost efficiency and the method that is employed to fund it. It means that the quality of the service that the respective organizations are providing to their clients is independent of the financing method employed. We can take the example of India as a country that is financed by its administration in terms of the respective organizations. At times the private organizations and individuals also make contributions.
Amongst the top features of this system is the regard of the most fundamental therapies as a basic human right. It does not take into account the individual's ability or inability to pay, as many treatments are more pricey than the average family's financial reserves put together. Other than that the individuals who service people through these organizations are bound by both the law and a personal pledge that has to be undertaken at the time of recruitment in these systems.
The aim of these health care organizations according to a recent statement has been explained as the promotion of good health amongst the people around the globe and their reaction towards it. These organizations are mostly quality oriented, well-organized and resourceful.
The funding of these organizations is done via quite a few numbers of methods. Off these the top most are insurance (public or individual), funding it out of ones own budget or charities to name a few. A contemporary research has concluded that there is no proven relation between its cost efficiency and the method that is employed to fund it. It means that the quality of the service that the respective organizations are providing to their clients is independent of the financing method employed. We can take the example of India as a country that is financed by its administration in terms of the respective organizations. At times the private organizations and individuals also make contributions.
Amongst the top features of this system is the regard of the most fundamental therapies as a basic human right. It does not take into account the individual's ability or inability to pay, as many treatments are more pricey than the average family's financial reserves put together. Other than that the individuals who service people through these organizations are bound by both the law and a personal pledge that has to be undertaken at the time of recruitment in these systems.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
An American Universal Health Care System
Health Care System Needs Reform, Not a Government Takeover
Believe it or not, America boasts some of the world's best doctors, the most advanced health care system, and the most technically superior resources in the world, bar none. Those who travel globally and have gotten sick know that their first choice for treatment would be in the U.S. Though health care in America is, more expensive than any other country, many of the worlds wealthiest come to the U.S for surgical procedures and complex care, because it holds a worldwide reputation for the gold standard in health care.
To examine the complex health care issue, a small research study was conducted from randomly selected doctors in a best doctors database. We ask 50 top doctors, located in different states and who practice different specialty fields, " Is a universal health care plan good for America?" Forty-eight of these doctors essentially responded that it was a "bad idea" that would have negative impacts on the quality of our nation's health care.
Social Engineering Medicine
One of the greatest mis-conceptions some people have relied on with regard to the health care debate is that, given a universal health care system, every person in the U.S. would receive the highest quality health care - the kind our nation is renowned for and that we currently receive. However, unlike some public amenities, health care is not a collective public service like police and fire protection services, therefore the Government cannot provide the same quality of health care to everyone, because not all physicians are equally good orthopedic surgeons, internists, neurosurgeons, etc, in the same way that not all individuals in need of health care are equally good patients.
As an analogy - stay with me - when you design a software program, there are many elements that are coded on the back-end, and used to manipulate certain aspects of the software program, that your average "John Doe" who uses the software (the end user) does not understand or utilize, nor do they care about these elements. Certain aspects of the program are coded, so that when one uses that portion of the program, other elements of the program are manipulated and automatically follow the present or next command.
Likewise, once a universal care plan is implemented in America and its massive infrastructure is shaped, private insurance companies will slowly disappear, and as a result, eventually patients will automatically be forced to utilize the government's universal health care plan. As part of such a system, patients will be known as numbers rather than patients, because such a massive government program would provide compensation incentive based on care provided, patients would become "numbers," rather than "patients." In addition, for cost savings reasons, every bit of health information, including your own, will be analyzed, and stored by the Government. What are the consequences? If you're a senior citizen and need a knee replacement at the age of 70, the government may determine that you're to old and it's not worth the investment cost, therefore instead of surgery, you may be given medication for the rest of your life at a substantial cost savings to the government, and at a high quality of life price to you.
Solutions:
Fixing the current U.S. health care system might require that we;
1. Encourage prevention and early diagnosis of chronic conditions and management.
2. Completely reform existing government are programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
3. Forgive medical school debt for those willing to practice primary care in under-served areas.
4. Improve access to care, provide small businesses and the self-employed with tax credits, not penalties for providing health care.
5. Encourage innovation in medical records management to reduce costs.
6. Require tort reform in medical malpractice judgments to lower the cost of providing care.
7. Keep what isn't broken-research shows 80% of Americans are happy with their current insurance, therefore, why completely dismantle it?
8. Reimburse physicians for their services.
9. Innovate a system in which Medicare fraud is dramatically decreased.
Devil In the Details
Socialized medicine means:
1. Loss of private practice options, reduced pay for physicians, overwhelming numbers of patients, and increasing burn-out may reduce the number of doctors pursuing the profession.
2. Patient confidentiality will need to be compromised, since centralized health information will be maintained by the government and it's databases.
3. Healthy people who take care of themselves will pay for the burden of those with unhealthy lifestyles, such as those who smoke, are obese, etc.
4. Patients lose the incentive to stay healthy or aren't likely to take efforts to curb their prescription drug costs because health care is free and the system can easily be abused.
5. The U.S. Government will need to call the shots about important health decisions dictating what procedures are best for you, rather than those decisions being made by your doctor(s), which will result in poor individualized patient care.
6. Tax rates will rise substantially-universal health care is not free since citizens are required to pay for it in the form of taxes.
7. Your freedom of choice will be restricted as to which doctor is best for you and your family.
8. Like all public programs, government bureaucracy, even in the form of health care, does not promote healthy competition that reduces costs based on demand. What's more, accountability is limited to the budgetary resources available to police such a system.
9. Medicare is subsidized by private insurers to the tune of billions of dollars, therefore if you take them out of the equation, add a trillion dollars or more to the current trillion dollar-plus cost estimates.
10. Currently, the government loses an estimated $ 30 billion a year due to Medicare fraud. Therefore, what makes anyone think that this same government will be able to run & operate a universal health care system that is resistant to fraud and save money while doing so?.
Believe it or not, America boasts some of the world's best doctors, the most advanced health care system, and the most technically superior resources in the world, bar none. Those who travel globally and have gotten sick know that their first choice for treatment would be in the U.S. Though health care in America is, more expensive than any other country, many of the worlds wealthiest come to the U.S for surgical procedures and complex care, because it holds a worldwide reputation for the gold standard in health care.
To examine the complex health care issue, a small research study was conducted from randomly selected doctors in a best doctors database. We ask 50 top doctors, located in different states and who practice different specialty fields, " Is a universal health care plan good for America?" Forty-eight of these doctors essentially responded that it was a "bad idea" that would have negative impacts on the quality of our nation's health care.
Social Engineering Medicine
One of the greatest mis-conceptions some people have relied on with regard to the health care debate is that, given a universal health care system, every person in the U.S. would receive the highest quality health care - the kind our nation is renowned for and that we currently receive. However, unlike some public amenities, health care is not a collective public service like police and fire protection services, therefore the Government cannot provide the same quality of health care to everyone, because not all physicians are equally good orthopedic surgeons, internists, neurosurgeons, etc, in the same way that not all individuals in need of health care are equally good patients.
As an analogy - stay with me - when you design a software program, there are many elements that are coded on the back-end, and used to manipulate certain aspects of the software program, that your average "John Doe" who uses the software (the end user) does not understand or utilize, nor do they care about these elements. Certain aspects of the program are coded, so that when one uses that portion of the program, other elements of the program are manipulated and automatically follow the present or next command.
Likewise, once a universal care plan is implemented in America and its massive infrastructure is shaped, private insurance companies will slowly disappear, and as a result, eventually patients will automatically be forced to utilize the government's universal health care plan. As part of such a system, patients will be known as numbers rather than patients, because such a massive government program would provide compensation incentive based on care provided, patients would become "numbers," rather than "patients." In addition, for cost savings reasons, every bit of health information, including your own, will be analyzed, and stored by the Government. What are the consequences? If you're a senior citizen and need a knee replacement at the age of 70, the government may determine that you're to old and it's not worth the investment cost, therefore instead of surgery, you may be given medication for the rest of your life at a substantial cost savings to the government, and at a high quality of life price to you.
Solutions:
Fixing the current U.S. health care system might require that we;
1. Encourage prevention and early diagnosis of chronic conditions and management.
2. Completely reform existing government are programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
3. Forgive medical school debt for those willing to practice primary care in under-served areas.
4. Improve access to care, provide small businesses and the self-employed with tax credits, not penalties for providing health care.
5. Encourage innovation in medical records management to reduce costs.
6. Require tort reform in medical malpractice judgments to lower the cost of providing care.
7. Keep what isn't broken-research shows 80% of Americans are happy with their current insurance, therefore, why completely dismantle it?
8. Reimburse physicians for their services.
9. Innovate a system in which Medicare fraud is dramatically decreased.
Devil In the Details
Socialized medicine means:
1. Loss of private practice options, reduced pay for physicians, overwhelming numbers of patients, and increasing burn-out may reduce the number of doctors pursuing the profession.
2. Patient confidentiality will need to be compromised, since centralized health information will be maintained by the government and it's databases.
3. Healthy people who take care of themselves will pay for the burden of those with unhealthy lifestyles, such as those who smoke, are obese, etc.
4. Patients lose the incentive to stay healthy or aren't likely to take efforts to curb their prescription drug costs because health care is free and the system can easily be abused.
5. The U.S. Government will need to call the shots about important health decisions dictating what procedures are best for you, rather than those decisions being made by your doctor(s), which will result in poor individualized patient care.
6. Tax rates will rise substantially-universal health care is not free since citizens are required to pay for it in the form of taxes.
7. Your freedom of choice will be restricted as to which doctor is best for you and your family.
8. Like all public programs, government bureaucracy, even in the form of health care, does not promote healthy competition that reduces costs based on demand. What's more, accountability is limited to the budgetary resources available to police such a system.
9. Medicare is subsidized by private insurers to the tune of billions of dollars, therefore if you take them out of the equation, add a trillion dollars or more to the current trillion dollar-plus cost estimates.
10. Currently, the government loses an estimated $ 30 billion a year due to Medicare fraud. Therefore, what makes anyone think that this same government will be able to run & operate a universal health care system that is resistant to fraud and save money while doing so?.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Human Resource Management and Health Care Systems
Did you ever know that in the health care systems and services, the human resource management plays a great role? Yes, this is absolutely true especially in the global context because studies and researches have shown that their management techniques have largely helped to improve the health of the patient to a great extent. In fact, the health care and the management of the resources are very much linked to each other and there are several key factors that can help them to go with each other and work successfully. This in turn proves to be fruitful for the entire health care organization as well.
It is no doubt true that the human resource management is indeed essential and important part of any health care system. They work in such a way so that they can improve the overall model of the heal care. Though there are several challenges existing in the field of health care in the recent days yet these challenges are solved effectively by the management services to get overall success. The challenges faced might be of many different kinds and these challenges are examined and studied in various different ways by the organization to bring out an effective solution.
It is the proper implementation of the strategies of the human resource department that helps in finding out the right approach that should be taken to sort out the various different problems that might come in the way. Different places have different functioning in the health care systems and it is on the basis of these different functions that the effective solution is tried to be found out. The skill and the expertise of the different people involved in the department helps them to manage all the different resources effectively in any kind of situation.
It is no doubt true that the human resource management is indeed essential and important part of any health care system. They work in such a way so that they can improve the overall model of the heal care. Though there are several challenges existing in the field of health care in the recent days yet these challenges are solved effectively by the management services to get overall success. The challenges faced might be of many different kinds and these challenges are examined and studied in various different ways by the organization to bring out an effective solution.
It is the proper implementation of the strategies of the human resource department that helps in finding out the right approach that should be taken to sort out the various different problems that might come in the way. Different places have different functioning in the health care systems and it is on the basis of these different functions that the effective solution is tried to be found out. The skill and the expertise of the different people involved in the department helps them to manage all the different resources effectively in any kind of situation.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Medical Device Technology That Saves Lives
Annual expenditure on medical device technology in the U.S. is around $150 billion. This is a large amount of money, but the devices save lives. Furthermore, thanks to medical device translation, the U.S. exports this vital technology around the world.
Glide Scope
Paramedics often attend patients who are having problems breathing. To provide help, they place breathing tubes down patients' throats. This is an awkward procedure. The risks include damage to the vocal chords.
The Glide Scope makes the procedure far easier and quicker. The device has a tiny video camera and monitor. As a paramedic inserts the breathing tube, he or she can see exactly where it is going. In this way, the paramedic can avoid harming the vocal chords and can ensure the tube is in position without delay. Paramedics who have used the technology report positive results.
Blood Pressure Management
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a major cause of death in the U.S. High blood pressure can swell an artery in the abdomen. If the artery ruptures, it leads to uncontrolled internal bleeding. Because an increase in blood pressure can result in such a rupture, it's important to monitor the pressure, and therefore the size of an aneurysm, regularly.
The traditional way of doing this is with a costly CT scan. A cheaper and faster alternative is the Endo Sure Wireless A Pressure Management System. This takes a different approach to CT scans. Surgeons implant a tiny measuring device inside the patient. This device sends a wireless signal to a monitor. Doctors can then find out the level of blood pressure in the aneurysm sac. Knowing exactly what this pressure is can save lives.
The Endo Sure was initially tested in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. Medical device translation helped ensure everyone involved understood the use of the Endo Sure and its potential.
Trauma Pod
A major issue facing troops in war zones is IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Soldiers wounded by an IED may bleed to death while their comrades transport them to the nearest field hospital. Although the trauma pod is still in development, it promises to be a remarkable piece of medical technology that helps solve this problem.
The trauma pod is a surgical field unit. Instead of human surgeons, it has robots. These treat soldiers immediately by staunching wounds and opening airways.
The robots in the pod also run CT scans. The scans provide information for diagnosis and further treatment. Surgeons in the field hospital control the trauma pod process remotely.
Glide Scope
Paramedics often attend patients who are having problems breathing. To provide help, they place breathing tubes down patients' throats. This is an awkward procedure. The risks include damage to the vocal chords.
The Glide Scope makes the procedure far easier and quicker. The device has a tiny video camera and monitor. As a paramedic inserts the breathing tube, he or she can see exactly where it is going. In this way, the paramedic can avoid harming the vocal chords and can ensure the tube is in position without delay. Paramedics who have used the technology report positive results.
Blood Pressure Management
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a major cause of death in the U.S. High blood pressure can swell an artery in the abdomen. If the artery ruptures, it leads to uncontrolled internal bleeding. Because an increase in blood pressure can result in such a rupture, it's important to monitor the pressure, and therefore the size of an aneurysm, regularly.
The traditional way of doing this is with a costly CT scan. A cheaper and faster alternative is the Endo Sure Wireless A Pressure Management System. This takes a different approach to CT scans. Surgeons implant a tiny measuring device inside the patient. This device sends a wireless signal to a monitor. Doctors can then find out the level of blood pressure in the aneurysm sac. Knowing exactly what this pressure is can save lives.
The Endo Sure was initially tested in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. Medical device translation helped ensure everyone involved understood the use of the Endo Sure and its potential.
Trauma Pod
A major issue facing troops in war zones is IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Soldiers wounded by an IED may bleed to death while their comrades transport them to the nearest field hospital. Although the trauma pod is still in development, it promises to be a remarkable piece of medical technology that helps solve this problem.
The trauma pod is a surgical field unit. Instead of human surgeons, it has robots. These treat soldiers immediately by staunching wounds and opening airways.
The robots in the pod also run CT scans. The scans provide information for diagnosis and further treatment. Surgeons in the field hospital control the trauma pod process remotely.
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Ethical Issues in Healthcare Systems
Healthcare and affordable healthcare, at that, is important to everyone. Healthcare insurance, as a system, has to be doable, for the healthcare provider as well as the member. The benefits offered must provide adequate medical coverage to the member, and must be affordable and also available, without the problem of pre-existing condition requirements.
Benefits must, also provide an adequate range of services within the local, state, and national guidelines for the particular plan offered. They must be affordable, and yet inclusive enough, to service the needs of its members, and they should be flexible. Healthcare insurance is a commodity, that must be made available to all American citizens, irregardless of age, economic status, locality or previous medical conditions.
The recent healthcare legislation passed by Congress, and introduced by, President Obama's administration, has, for the first time offered most Americans, employed, and unemployed a chance to get adequate healthcare benefits at affordable premiums. They can save money by choosing a higher deductible, thereby, lowering monthly premiums. States not offering certain benefits, can allow the insured to build a coverage package, normally called a plan that works within the insured's guidelines, and needs.
I am not certain which Southern East coast states offer limited benefits coverage in some instances, I will be writing an updated article,' after doing more research on this topic, Limited Coverage, or No Coverage in Some States.
What does constitute ethical healthcare benefit coverage opportunities?
I would venture to say:
* Benefits that are available under conditions that are opened to most potential members
* No restrictions as to number of members, for example, group coverage as relates to small business, self-employed, group employee benefits coverage, requirements.
* No pre-existing condition requirements, causing a block as far as potential members being approved for benefit coverage.
* Healthcare benefits offered at an affordable cost all American citizens.
Other Options Available Within the Healthcare Industry
The great vanguard: opportunity, being at the right place, right time, a chance of a lifetime idea offered to those wishing to locate a niche in today's economy, for persons really wanting to offer a worthwhile service to all, is answered --- by becoming involved in the 'Healthcare Industry'.
Becoming involved in a self-employment venture which promotes and refers, others to providers (businesses that provide medical insurance coverage for its members).
Because of the fact, that there are about 70 million persons nationally, that are uninsured or underinsured, provides, a niche market available to entrepreneurs willing to accept the challenge.
Benefits must, also provide an adequate range of services within the local, state, and national guidelines for the particular plan offered. They must be affordable, and yet inclusive enough, to service the needs of its members, and they should be flexible. Healthcare insurance is a commodity, that must be made available to all American citizens, irregardless of age, economic status, locality or previous medical conditions.
The recent healthcare legislation passed by Congress, and introduced by, President Obama's administration, has, for the first time offered most Americans, employed, and unemployed a chance to get adequate healthcare benefits at affordable premiums. They can save money by choosing a higher deductible, thereby, lowering monthly premiums. States not offering certain benefits, can allow the insured to build a coverage package, normally called a plan that works within the insured's guidelines, and needs.
I am not certain which Southern East coast states offer limited benefits coverage in some instances, I will be writing an updated article,' after doing more research on this topic, Limited Coverage, or No Coverage in Some States.
What does constitute ethical healthcare benefit coverage opportunities?
I would venture to say:
* Benefits that are available under conditions that are opened to most potential members
* No restrictions as to number of members, for example, group coverage as relates to small business, self-employed, group employee benefits coverage, requirements.
* No pre-existing condition requirements, causing a block as far as potential members being approved for benefit coverage.
* Healthcare benefits offered at an affordable cost all American citizens.
Other Options Available Within the Healthcare Industry
The great vanguard: opportunity, being at the right place, right time, a chance of a lifetime idea offered to those wishing to locate a niche in today's economy, for persons really wanting to offer a worthwhile service to all, is answered --- by becoming involved in the 'Healthcare Industry'.
Becoming involved in a self-employment venture which promotes and refers, others to providers (businesses that provide medical insurance coverage for its members).
Because of the fact, that there are about 70 million persons nationally, that are uninsured or underinsured, provides, a niche market available to entrepreneurs willing to accept the challenge.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Universal Health Care - Ethical Issues in Health Care Reform
Universal health care seems to be a hotly debated topic whenever health care reform in the United States is discussed.
Those who maintain that health is an individual responsibility do not want a system that requires them to contribute tax dollars to support fellow citizens who do not act responsibly in protecting or promoting their own health. They argue that they want the freedom to choose their own physicians and treatments, and suggest that government cannot know what is best for them. These people argue that preserving the current system with improvements to provide better insurance coverage for citizens who remain uninsured or under insured for their medical care needs is the only reform that is needed.
Those who believe health care is an individual right support a universal health care system with the argument that every citizen deserves to have access to the right care at the right time and that a government's responsibility is to protect its citizens, sometimes even from themselves.
Two opposing arguments arising from two opposing ideologies. Both are good arguments but neither can be the supporting argument for implementing or denying universal health care. The matter must be resolved through an ethical framework.
Examination of the ethical issues in health care reform would require consideration of much different arguments than those already presented. Ethical issues would center on the moral right. Discussion would begin with not "What is best for me?" but rather "How should we as a society be acting so that our actions are morally correct?"
Ethics refers to determining right and wrong in how humans relate to one another. Ethical decision making for health care reform then would require human beings to act in consideration of our relationships to each other not our own individual interests.
Examination of some of the common ethical decision making theories can provide a foundation for a different perspective than one that is solely concerned with individual rights and freedoms.
Ethical decision making requires that specific questions be answered in order to decide on whether intended actions are good or morally correct. Here are some questions that could be used in ethical decision making for health care reform.
* What action will bring the most good to the most people?
* What action in and of itself is a good act and helps us to fulfill our duties, obligations, and responsibilities to each other?
* What action in and of itself shows caring and concern for all citizens?
As the answer to all these questions, universal health care can always be considered the right thing to do.
The United States is in the most advantageous position there is when it comes to health care reform. They are the only developed country without a national health care system in place for all citizens. They have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes that have been made by all the other countries that have already gone down the universal health care road. They have an opportunity to design a system that can shine as a jewel in the crown of universal health care systems everywhere.
However, all ethical decision making is structured around values. In order for universal health care to be embraced by all citizens in the United States, they will first have to agree to the collective value of equity and fairness and embrace the goal of meeting their collective responsibility to each other while maintaining individual rights and freedoms. That may prove to be the most difficult obstacle of all.
Those who maintain that health is an individual responsibility do not want a system that requires them to contribute tax dollars to support fellow citizens who do not act responsibly in protecting or promoting their own health. They argue that they want the freedom to choose their own physicians and treatments, and suggest that government cannot know what is best for them. These people argue that preserving the current system with improvements to provide better insurance coverage for citizens who remain uninsured or under insured for their medical care needs is the only reform that is needed.
Those who believe health care is an individual right support a universal health care system with the argument that every citizen deserves to have access to the right care at the right time and that a government's responsibility is to protect its citizens, sometimes even from themselves.
Two opposing arguments arising from two opposing ideologies. Both are good arguments but neither can be the supporting argument for implementing or denying universal health care. The matter must be resolved through an ethical framework.
Examination of the ethical issues in health care reform would require consideration of much different arguments than those already presented. Ethical issues would center on the moral right. Discussion would begin with not "What is best for me?" but rather "How should we as a society be acting so that our actions are morally correct?"
Ethics refers to determining right and wrong in how humans relate to one another. Ethical decision making for health care reform then would require human beings to act in consideration of our relationships to each other not our own individual interests.
Examination of some of the common ethical decision making theories can provide a foundation for a different perspective than one that is solely concerned with individual rights and freedoms.
Ethical decision making requires that specific questions be answered in order to decide on whether intended actions are good or morally correct. Here are some questions that could be used in ethical decision making for health care reform.
* What action will bring the most good to the most people?
* What action in and of itself is a good act and helps us to fulfill our duties, obligations, and responsibilities to each other?
* What action in and of itself shows caring and concern for all citizens?
As the answer to all these questions, universal health care can always be considered the right thing to do.
The United States is in the most advantageous position there is when it comes to health care reform. They are the only developed country without a national health care system in place for all citizens. They have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes that have been made by all the other countries that have already gone down the universal health care road. They have an opportunity to design a system that can shine as a jewel in the crown of universal health care systems everywhere.
However, all ethical decision making is structured around values. In order for universal health care to be embraced by all citizens in the United States, they will first have to agree to the collective value of equity and fairness and embrace the goal of meeting their collective responsibility to each other while maintaining individual rights and freedoms. That may prove to be the most difficult obstacle of all.
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