Introduction:
It is essential that nurses understand the issues related to healthcare financing, including local, state, and national healthcare policies and initiatives that affect healthcare delivery. As a patient advocate, the professional nurse is in a position to work with patients and families to access available resources to meet their healthcare needs.
Requirements:
A. Compare the U.S. healthcare system with the healthcare system of Great Britain, Japan, Germany, or Switzerland, by doing the following:
1. Identify one country from the following list whose healthcare system you will compare to the U.S. healthcare system: Great Britain, Japan, Germany, or Switzerland.
2. Compare access between the two healthcare systems for children, people who are unemployed, and for people who are retired.
a. Discuss coverage for medications in the two healthcare systems.
b. Determine the requirements to get a referral to see a specialist in the two healthcare systems.
c. Discuss coverage for preexisting conditions in the two healthcare systems.
3. Explain two financial implications for the patient with regard to the healthcare delivery differences between the two countries.
B. When you use sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, provide acknowledgement of source information for any content that is quoted, paraphrased or summarized. Acknowledgement of source information includes in-text citation noting specifically where in the submission the source is used and a corresponding reference, which includes:
• Author
• Date
• Title
• Location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL)
Expert Solution Preview
Answer:
A. One country that can be compared to the U.S. healthcare system is Great Britain.
a. In Great Britain, healthcare is provided to all citizens through the National Health Service (NHS). In contrast, in the U.S., healthcare is delivered through a mix of public and private insurance. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) made efforts to increase access to healthcare for all citizens, uninsured rates still remain high.
b. In Great Britain, children have access to free healthcare under NHS. In the United States, low-income children can receive healthcare benefits from Medicaid, a form of public health insurance. People who are unemployed or retired can access healthcare in both countries. In Great Britain, unemployment and retirement do not prohibit access to healthcare. In the U.S., Medicare is the public insurance for retired and disabled individuals, while Medicaid provides healthcare access to low-income and unemployed individuals.
c. Referral to Specialists and Medications: In Great Britain, specialists’ referral is not required, and patients can directly access specialists as well as medications. In contrast, the U.S. healthcare system requires a referral from a primary care physician to access specialists, and insurance policies may limit some aspects of healthcare, including medications.
d. Coverage for Preexisting Conditions: Great Britain does not discriminate against individuals with preexisting conditions when providing healthcare access. On the other hand, prior to the ACA, health insurance companies in the U.S. could deny healthcare coverage to patients with preexisting conditions. However, the ACA prohibits such discrimination.
2. Financial Implications for Patients:
a. The U.S. spends more on healthcare per capita than Great Britain. Thus, patients in the U.S. are likely to pay more out of pocket expenses as compared to those in Great Britain.
b. Medical bankruptcy is a common problem in the U.S., whereas in Great Britain, the NHS regulates healthcare costs to protect patients from such devastating financial burdens. Thus, patients in the U.S. may bear more financial risk than patients in Great Britain.
B. When sources are used to support ideas in a paper or project, acknowledging the source information is essential. It includes in-text citation and reference, which includes the author, date, title, and location of information such as publisher, journal, or website URL.
