Universal Health Care: Advantages and Types - Healthcare Tech Outlook

Healthcare Tech Outlook | Monday, June 28, 2021

With no doctors or hospitals able to target and cater to richer clientele, universal health care equalizes service. As a result, everyone receives the same quality of treatment, resulting in a healthier workforce and a longer life expectancy.

FREMONT, CA: Universal health care is a wide word that refers to any action taken by a government to ensure that as many people as feasible have access to health care. Some governments do this by establishing minimum standards and rules, while others implement initiatives that benefit the entire community. The ultimate goal, however, is universal health coverage for all residents.

Advantages of Universal Health Care

On all sides of the aisle, universal health care is a contentious issue. It is critical to understand the advantages and disadvantages of a national program like universal health care, which are frequently highlighted.

• The most obvious benefit of universal health care is that everyone has access to health insurance and medical services, and no one falls bankrupt due to medical fees.
• Because the government sets prices for pharmaceuticals and services, universal health care decreases healthcare expenses for the entire economy at the federal level. In addition, because they are not required to interact with a slew of different healthcare businesses, doctors can cut administrative costs and recruit fewer people.
• With no doctors or hospitals able to target and cater to richer clientele, universal health care also equalizes service. As a result, everyone receives the same quality of treatment, resulting in a healthier workforce and a longer life expectancy.
• It can also contribute to a longer and healthier life and a reduction in societal inequality when a person enjoys universal health care from birth.

Types of Universal Health Care

Universal health care can be accomplished in one of three ways.

Socialized Medicine: In this scenario, the government would own all hospitals, and all doctors and nurses would be government employees. The National Health Service, or NHS, in the United Kingdom is an example of this type of system. It has proved to be one of the most cost-effective solutions throughout time. But, on the other hand, doctors and patients have fewer options when it comes to treatments and procedures.

Single-Payer System: The second choice is to adopt a single-payer system, such as that used in Canada. The government provides health insurance to everyone in a single-payer system, while doctor's offices and hospitals remain private enterprises or charities. This system gives consumers more options when it comes to doctors and hospitals and diverse approaches to care, but it is also more expensive than socialized medicine.

Private Insurance: The third system allows private insurance companies to operate but regulates them and requires everyone to acquire health insurance. Health insurance in Switzerland is regulated, and the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, is an attempt to establish a mandatory health insurance system in the United States. Consumer choice is the greatest under-regulated health insurance system, but they are also the most expensive.

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