Government-Regulated Healthcare, Essay Example

Introduction

Government regulated health care in United States of America is operated under the managed care system. The intention of adapting government regulated health care within the boundaries of managed care is to control the cost pateints/client pay as well as improving quality of care. The question here is how cost can be controlled and quality of care improved at the same time? From my investigation government regulated healthcare reduces the cost of care government delivers to the population, but quality is not guaranteed

Development

For example, under managed care a client/ patient does not have a variety of choices regarding quality of care even though he/she is told that they do. The facts are that care is delivered within a network and through that network all services must be accepted. If pateints/ clients do not want to stay within that specified network they have to pay more to see the specialist or desired physician. Clearly, cost reduction in government regulated care under United States of America managed care system pertains to government controlling the huge healthcare cost bill it already has to fund. Presently there is a huge deficit in the health care budget, which must be regulated (Kongstvedt, 2001).

Conclusion

The other concern regarding government regulated care as promised under managed care protocols in America is whether there is any improvement in care quality. In my humble opinion there is no guarantee of quality when cost has to be reduced. The focus is cost reduction and not quality improvement. Common sense tells the tale. If someone wants to reduce cost would it be wise to improve quality? Basic economic principles project that once cost goes down quality goes with it. Therefore, government regulated care under managed care system in America is a myth. Government regulated healthcare reduces the cost of care government delivers to the population, but quality is not guaranteed

References

Kongstvedt, P. (2001). The Managed Health Care Handbook, Fourth Edition, Aspen Publishers, Inc.