Health care is an important aspect in any country and is usually a contributor to the success of the country. Citizens of a country should receive the right medication at a value that is affordable to them. An example of such country is United States. United States of America has reformed and introduced initiatives to the health care system to benefit her citizens. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyze some initiatives that have been implemented 2-5 years that have passed. Moreover, the paper analyzes the reforms and initiatives that are currently planned.
The government has developed reforms that are currently operation, which includes the provision of medical care to the poor, people with disabilities and the elderly. The reform also ensures that the government is not involved in negotiations with companies that produce drugs. This reform has resulted in employed people benefiting from the 2006 Medicare Part D plan, which is an out-of-pocket cost (LaFrance 2007).
Another important policy that was implemented was the Unique Identifiers Rule/National Provider Identifier that was encoded in the HIPAA. It provides a basis in which change of locality or occupation ensures that the persons involved do not loose their insurances benefit. This policy initiative ensured that people who are insured could benefit from medical services at any locality that they are situated. Additionally, the act contains the regulations for confidentiality and registrations that health care providers have to meet (Fuchs & Emanuel 2005).
Nevertheless, the health care system change at a faster rate due to economic, population and technological developments that calls for appropriate reforms. Thus, there are reform initiatives that are required to ensure that the health care system supports the requirements of her citizens. Many countries are offering universal health care that lacks in US health care system. All Americans are supposed to access quality care that is affordable. Thus, the cost of the health care should be reasonable, controllable and predictable. Therefore, the universal health care should incorporate single-payer health care.
Reforms that should be implemented should be transparent and efficient. Transparency ensures that the right patients background is fully know before administering any prescriptions. Moreover, efficiency should ensure that the value of money is equivalent to the value of treatment obtained. The citizens should be educated so that they know the benefits that they obtain if they embrace health care policies.
Health care policies should be developed such that they are not biased and ensures that all Americans can afford it. This means that the laws and taxes should bring into consideration the stability in terms of employer or government insurance programs. Thus, the laws and policies that are been planned should be moderate or friendly to all stakeholders.
Generally, the reforms that are required in health care system of United States revolve around the right to access health care, fairness, quality, affordability and sustainability. The reforms that many presidential aspirants in 2008 election planned require critical analysis and determine the origin of funds that will be used in accomplishing the initiatives and policies.
Provision of the right health care is an important aspect in human comfort. Thus, each country develops policies and initiatives that ensure her citizens have the right medical attendance. United States has developed initiatives and reforms that ensure that the health system is satisfactory to its citizens.
Works Cited
Anonymous (2007). EDITORIAL: Universal care: The United States’ system of health care delivery is inadequate, broken and needs to be replaced. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News.
Wells Fargo Small Business Roundup (2008). Reforming Health Care reform. Web.
Fuchs, V. R. and Emanuel, E. J. (2005). Health Care reform: Why? What? When? Health Affairs 24 (6), 1399.
Indiana University School of Medicine (2007). Citizens’ Healthcare Working Group – Interview with Patricia Maryland, PhD. Web.
Results. Background on Health Care. (2005). Web.
LaFrance, A. (2007). Healthcare Reform in the United States: The Role of the States, Seattle Journal for Social Justice, 6(1), p. 199.