Characteristics of the American Health Care Delivery System, GCSE Coursework Example

The American healthcare system is a complex and intricate system that entails unique features that set it apart from other health care systems around the world. Of utmost importance is the fact that the American healthcare system is not a single healthcare system. The American healthcare system is made up of numerous subsystems that function parallel to each other, however overlapping in certain areas.

Governance

The American health care system has one main unique feature that defines its operations, it lacks proper administrative control by any given government agency or department (Merino, 2012). A bigger portion of the American healthcare system is financed by the private sector. This is also the case in healthcare delivery within the system. Most of the medical and health institutions that service the system are private business that have their operations independent from the government.

The total expenditure incurred by this system is not governed by a central agency. With the private sector comprising 55% of the healthcare delivery system, the remaining 45% is funded and governed by the federal and state governments (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2012). They are responsible for the determination of public sector expenditure as well as the rates of reimbursement to beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP.

Costs and Accessibility

The United currently has the biggest expenditure on healthcare than any other country in the world. This fact is further compounded by perpetual rising costs. The country spends roughly 13% of its GDP on the healthcare sector. Despite this, a considerable population of American citizens cannot access basic healthcare services.

The American healthcare system is also characterized by the manner in which healthcare services can be accesses by the general public. Accessibility in the American healthcare delivery system is defined by four factors that define access restriction. Access is restricted to;

1. Individuals possessing health insurance through employment
2. Individuals covered under any government healthcare program

• Individuals with the ability to purchase private health insurance

1. Individuals with the ability to pay for health care services(Shi, Singh, Gartside, & Moden, 2013)

Despite the fact that the United States boast one of the best standards of healthcare, access is predominantly restricted to those who are adequately covered by health insurance or have the means to pay for all health services they would need. This creates a situation of skewed or uneven accessibility to healthcare services by a considerable portion of the general public.

However, an individual who lacks either private or public health insurance and cannot afford the cost of seeking healthcare services can receive such services in the case of an emergency. This accommodation for situations of acute illnesses creates a universal catastrophic health insurance.

Technology and Acute Care

The American healthcare system is generally technology driven and focuses on acute care. There have been considerable technological innovations within the American healthcare system, essentially placing it at the apex of healthcare technology in the world. The advent of new technologies has led to the creation of more efficient, accurate and safer methods of intervention.

These technological innovations have enabled the American healthcare system to concentrate on acute care for complex medical conditions. The healthcare delivery system has managed to deliver intricate and extensive care for individuals suffering from long-term ailments such as cancer.

Market Conditions

The American healthcare delivery system operates in predominantly imperfect market conditions. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the market is not a free market. While prices would be subject to the forces of demand and supply in a free market, the American healthcare system does not possess tis characteristic. In the American healthcare delivery system, the buyers of healthcare services, i.e. those paying for healthcare services offered, are not the patients receiving the services (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2012). On the contrary, services are paid for by Medicaid, Medicare and MCOs. As such, prices are determined external agents to the market who are not subject to the forces of demand and supply.

The Government as a Subordinate to the Private Sector

Owing to the fact that a huge portion (55%) of the healthcare delivery system is financed by the private sector, the government plays a subsidiary role to the private sector. The private sector covers most of the healthcare services and the government supplements these efforts by filling up the gaps that the private sector cannot cover. This includes training and research support, environmental protection and taking care of the vulnerable populations within the country.

This situation of private sector dominance has created a situation of numerous players that influence the system. These major players include medical practitioners, large employers, insurance companies, labor groups and hospitals (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2012). Each player has a unique set of objectives and pursues their best interest. This creates a fragmented system where no single entity can take full control if the system. This fragmentation has also made it difficult to streamline costs as each group seeks their best interests.

In conclusion, the American healthcare delivery system is defined by a number of characteristics that set it apart from other healthcare delivery systems in the world. It is lacks a central governance and is characterized by high costs and uneven accessibility. The system is predominantly technologically driven and tends to concentrate on acute care. The system operates under imperfect market conditions and the government plays a subsidiary role to the private sector.

References

Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K., & Chaffee, M. W. (2012). Policy & politics in nursing and health care. St. Louis: Elsevier/Saunders.

Merino, N. (2012). Health care. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press.

Shi, L., Singh, D. A., Gartside, M., & Moden, S. (2013). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.