3 posts The method of delivery of health care along with regulatory control over the system differ from country to country. Cost-sharing required at point-of-service and range of benefits also vary globally. What is common is the incorporation of private insurance, but the importance varies considerably across nations (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019). According to the Commonwealth Fund’s new 11-country report, the “level of income defines the health care you receive far more in the United States than in other wealthy nations” (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019, para. 1). The study found that U.S. ranked last in providing equally accessible and high-quality health care, regardless of a person’s income. There have been great advances with access and coverage of health care in the U.S. due to the Affordable Care Act, but there are far too many Americans that continue to struggle with access to health care (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019). The delivery of health care in the U.S. is comprised of a variety of public and private entities (Green, 2018). Government entities and in collaboration with community nonprofit organizations and faith-based organizations comprised the public health system. The private health settings include inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, long-term care, mental health, home care, wellness center, and alternative care, which are regulated by the overarching governmental agencies (Green, 2018). Payment for medical services can by paid individually but the costs for services may not be feasible for most. Therefore, people rely on health care insurance, an arrangement with the government or private company, that will provide guarantee payment for health care services (Green, 2018). Whether private or public, the person must be eligible for these services. Either or, a person may accrue out-of-pocket costs. Although the percentage of uninsured people have decreased since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, there continues the existence of 28 million people who are uninsured in the U.S. as of 2017 (Berchick, 2018). Studies have shown that physician-patient relationship that focused on quality and personalized preventive care resulted in positive health care expenditure outcomes and improved health management over a three-year time period (Musich, Wang, Hawkings, & Klemes, 2016). According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the U.S. health care spending increased by 3.9 percent in 2017. This equates to $3.5 trillion or $10,739 per person. Much of the expenditures can be reduced when the focus of health is on prevention and not disease management.

The delivery of healthcare and the regulatory control over healthcare systems vary from country to country. Different nations have different methods of cost-sharing at the point of service and offer varying ranges of benefits (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019). While private insurance is commonly incorporated in healthcare systems worldwide, its importance varies considerably across nations (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019). The Commonwealth Fund’s 11-country report reveals that in the United States, the level of a person’s income significantly determines the quality and accessibility of healthcare when compared to other wealthy nations (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019). In fact, the United States ranked last among these nations in terms of providing equally accessible and high-quality healthcare to people of all income levels. Although the Affordable Care Act has improved access and coverage of healthcare in the U.S., there are still a significant number of Americans who struggle to access healthcare services (The Commonwealth Fund, 2019).

The healthcare delivery system in the United States is composed of a range of public and private entities (Green, 2018). The public health system includes government entities that collaborate with community nonprofit organizations and faith-based organizations. On the other hand, private healthcare settings include inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, long-term care, mental health, home care, wellness centers, and alternative care, all of which are regulated by governmental agencies (Green, 2018). While individuals can pay for medical services individually, the costs may not be feasible for most people. Therefore, healthcare insurance, whether provided by the government or a private company, plays a crucial role in guaranteeing payment for healthcare services (Green, 2018). Eligibility for these services can be based on public or private insurance, but either way, individuals may still accumulate out-of-pocket costs. Despite a decrease in the percentage of uninsured individuals since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there are still 28 million uninsured people in the U.S. as of 2017 (Berchick, 2018).

Several studies have shown that a physician-patient relationship focused on quality and personalized preventive care leads to positive healthcare expenditure outcomes and improved health management over time (Musich, Wang, Hawkings, & Klemes, 2016). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services report that healthcare spending in the U.S. increased by 3.9% in 2017, amounting to $3.5 trillion or $10,739 per person. A significant portion of these expenditures could be reduced if the healthcare system focused more on prevention rather than disease management.

In summary, the delivery of healthcare and regulatory control over healthcare systems differ across countries. The United States lags behind other wealthy nations in providing accessible and high-quality healthcare to people regardless of their income. The healthcare system in the U.S. comprises both public and private entities, with individuals relying on insurance to cover the often prohibitive costs of medical services. While progress has been made in increasing access to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans remain uninsured. Focusing on prevention rather than disease management could help reduce healthcare expenditures in the U.S.