The Healing of America, Book Review Example

The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care

In his global quest to find the possible prescription for the American health system, Reid Visited wealthy industrialised, free market and democracies like the US.  The health system studied includes France, Germany, Japan, Canada and UK. The health care in these countries is compared and contrasted with the model followed in the United States. This paper will look at the health care model used in Germany and Britain and find the elements that can be included in United States health Model. The elements that will not add value to the U.S health system will also be mentioned.

The Bismarck Model

This is the model that is used in Germany and was established by Otto von Bismarck. The health care system is characterised by use of private initiatives in the provision of the medical services.  For instance, the insurance coverage is mainly provided through private companies. On the other hand, the insurance companies operate as non profits companies and are therefore required to sign up all the citizens without any conditions.  So as to increase the universal health coverage, all the citizens apart from the rich minority in Germany are required by law to sign up for one of the health insurance. It is imperative to note that the government plays an important role in determining the payments of the health services used by the citizens hence keeping a fair control on the costs.  When compared with the US health system, the German system has better access to health services by all the citizens and the cost of health care is kept low by the government regulations. The U.S health care system is dominated by private initiatives in the provision of medical care, however unlike the German health care system, the American health insurance companies are mainly for profit enterprises. This has hindered access especially for the poor and immigrants who cannot afford the health insurance.

The Beveridge Model

According to Reid, this is the model that is used in Britain. He defines it as very close to socialised medicine. This is because almost all the health care providers work as government employees. In addition, the government acts as the single payer of all health services incurred by the citizen.  Since the patients do not incur any out of pocket costs, the health care system in UK has been experiencing increased pressure as a result of the rising costs.

Britain and Germany has figured out how to provide insurance and basic health care to the entire citizenry hence the united state can borrow and adopt some of the ideas that have been successful in these countries.

United state follows the Britain health system in providing health care services to sections of the citizens like the Native Americans, The military personnel and other veterans. For such groups, the government acts as both the provider of health services and payer. Consequently, the uninsured Americans are poor people that are left out without any health care since they cannot access the medical facilities that are very expensive. According to Reid, the although the US spends more money on health care than  the two nations, it leaves 45 million people without insurance leading to the death of 22,000 people from  diseases that can be treated easily.

Since the united state health model already shares some features with the Germany Bismarck model, the united state can introduce government regulations to control the cost of health services offered by the private health initiatives. Such control will ensure that the health insurance enterprises develop products for the poor that cannot afford the huge insurance premiums. The government control should also ensure that citizens access quality health services and an affordable cost. As much as implementation of these policies would enhance citizen’s universal health care in the short term, the quality of health services would be greatly affected.

The Britain health model is also very important in increasing access and affordability of the health services. It is important that the government extent its provision of health care services beyond the military and the native to cover all the other citizens. This is the beat system for ensuring that the poor have access to quality and affordable medical care since the government has the responsibility of ensuring that its citizens are healthy.

It is not recommended that the British health system be adopted   entirely the way it is to the in U.S. This is because when the government provide all the health care and also act as a single payer that require no cost on the users, the system will be overstretched leading to reduced quality of services. On the German health model, it would be impossible to make the insurance companies operate as non profits.  It is also not recommended that the government determine the payment of the health services offered by the private enterprises. This should be left to be determined by the law of demand and supply.

Some of the sectors and industries that are likely to oppose the recommendations of Reid are the health insurance and drug companies due to the fear of reduced profit margin.

Work Cited

Reid, T. R. “The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care” Penguin Books Ltd, 2009.