Health Care

Health Care

Introduction

The current US health care delivery system is described as “A truly bizarre mélange of thousands of payers with payment systems that differ for no socially beneficial reason as well as staggeringly complex public system with mind boggling administered prices and other rules expressing distinctions that can only be regarded as weird.”(Henry Aaron). The scope of the health delivery system ranges from producers to consumers, the public health sector to private agencies, nursing homes to hospitals, health suppliers to schools. There are four main functions of a health delivery system; financing, delivery, insurance and payment (shi & Singh).Health education services are affected by the complexity of the health delivery system, costs involved and overlapping of goals. The health of a nation is revealed by the health delivery system in place, the level of health education services among other factors. Health plays a key role in economic development and growth of its people and society as a whole. We shall focus on addressing the impact of the characteristics of healthcare delivery system on the availability of health education services in the US.

US Health Care Delivery System

The success of any healthcare delivery system is related to the improvements in and expansion in the health education services. Once people are educated on health matters such as good health habits, good nutrition, disease prevention, skills of avoiding crisis and basic first aid skills goes a long way in improving the health standards. This enhances the sustainability of a healthcare delivery system. Reports have shown that Americans are spending too much money on health due to the much costs escalating from the health system and economic downturns. It also shown that the health education services were inefficient with people having to wait long to be attended.(Jim mannion)

The impact of the healthcare delivery system on the availability of health services calls for

Health Care

looking into the functions of the US health delivery service. Financing the health system is costly. The budget thus caters for pertinent issue of health care hence minimum or no funds are set aside for health education services.

Insurance companies provide policies for which people contribute premiums against which they are compensated in times of loss or risk insured against occurring. With such a health system, the insurance companies try to make benefits out of premiums contributed. They are not concerned with health education as this would mean that fewer people would be interested in buying such premiums if they know how to take care of themselves, prevent diseases and avoid risks that would otherwise be insured.

Delivery of healthcare is limited to providers who may be individuals or entities and hospitals that require payments after delivery of service. In health education, few health providers can render services as few people would be willing to pay for the same. Payments for health services are in terms hospital bills, premium payments to insurance companies, employers and the government either directly or indirectly.Availabilty of health education services is limited in terms of which health agency to do so and at what cost. The level of health education is dependent on education level and social status. This limits the provision of such services.

Conclusion

There is need to develop a health delivery system to cater for changing needs in the economy by providing good health education services.

References

Health Care

Anthony, and Everett, M. (2005).HEALTHCARE COSTS AND BENEFITS:A FUTURE FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND RESEARCH; Journal for personal finance,4(4).69-85

McCanne, D and MacDonald.C (2000).Q: Would single payer health insurance be good for America? News 16(12), 40

Henry, A.(2004). The truth about social security and Medicare: A Challenge. ME Sharpe, vol 47(3) pp 27-41