Health is the most important aspect of any individuals’ life. Due to that reason it is no wonder that so much attention is paid to creating programs that would enable individuals of various backgrounds to receive adequate medical care.
The evolution and development of the health system of USA has been initiated around 1920s. Before that time the doctors did not have enough information to provide relevant care. With the progress of medicine and science, a health care problem arose a solution to which was obtained in Baylor Hospital, Dallas, where a system was created, which ultimately became Blue Cross (Vault). It was formed to assist individuals in paying their hospital bills. Around 1930s Blue Shield arose to provide insurance for doctor’s services.
1940-1960 could be characterized by increase in supply of health insurance, increase of health care utilization, and encouragement of the health insurance to be offered by employers took place. The elderly individuals who got retired and poor individuals did not have their insurance covered by the employer’s health insurance plan and this problem lead to creation of Medicare and Medicade in 1965 with the Title 18 of the Social Security Act (Vault).
The bill consisted of the Part A, which covered the services of the hospital, and Part B, which covered the services of the medical professionals. Medicare has developed into the government supported Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, which is private. It is also worth mentioning National Health Planning and Resources Development Act, which took place in 1974, which resulted in development of Health Systems Agencies.
Third party pay system is a process of the policyholder’s bills being paid by a third party to an insurance granting company. These payments are aimed at reducing the costs for the patient (Thibodeaux). This system should be replaced as it uses the finances of organizations, rather than individuals, which leads to less efficiency from medical personnel as well as personal responsibility and overutilization of services.
SCHIP stands for state children health insurance program, which is for children in families that make more money than required for obtaining Medicaid, but not enough to buy health insurance (AMA). This program is efficient and should be saved and reauthorized to serve the purpose of service provision for the patients who require such support and additional assistance.
Medicaid, which is a social protection service providing program for people with low incomes, and Medicare, which is a social insurance program for elderly and certain disabled individuals, are both supported by government and grant medical services to specific categories of individuals in the US (MNT). These programs no longer serve the purpose effectively and require reconstruction.
In California hospitals cannot hire physicians directly. They should be allowed to do so as it would ease service provision and relieve physicians of certain burdens, which would mean more focus on the patient and his needs (Sorrel, 2009). Physicians, on the other hand, state that this change might weaken independence of their medical judgement and, therefore, hold back the care provision.
References
AMA. What …