Comparing the medical systems of other nations can reveal important information. This discussion compares the healthcare systems of Canada, the UK, and Germany to those of the USA.
German Healthcare
With a history extending back to the late 19th century, Germany boasts one of the oldest comprehensive healthcare networks in the world. It makes use of a type of mandatory health coverage that is required for all citizens. Insurance expense is split between businesses and employees via over 100 nonprofit “sickness funds” (Reibling et al., 2019).
The system offers various medical services, including long-term care, rehabilitation, and preventative care. Additionally, private extra insurance is an option for people. The quick access to care, short wait periods, and high standard of care offered by Germany’s healthcare system have won accolades.
British Healthcare
All UK citizens have access to free treatment through the National Health Service (NHS), which is supported by general taxes. The NHS covers everything, including preventative care, long-term care, and end-of-life care. However, it frequently receives criticism for restricting some therapies and lengthy wait times (Asthana et al., 2019). Additionally, private healthcare is accessible, enabling patients to avoid non-emergency operation wait times.
Canadian Healthcare
The medical sector in Canada is a publicly supported model, with private organizations providing the majority of the healthcare. Medicare refers to a network of interrelated regional and municipal administrations. With the help of this framework, Canadian citizens are guaranteed affordable access to doctors and hospitals. Prescription medicines, dental work, and optometry, which frequently call for personal insurance or out-of-pocket expenses, are not covered (Phillips-Beck et al., 2020). For non-emergency processes, there may be lengthy wait times, just like with the NHS in the UK.
American Healthcare
The private sector provides the majority of healthcare in the US. However, specific demographics are also covered by government-funded schemes, including Medicare (for seniors), Medicaid (for low-income people and households), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (Heller III et al., 2023). The Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 broadened coverage and established health insurance exchanges, yet many individuals are still without insurance or have inadequate coverage (Heller III et al., 2023). The US healthcare system is well-known for its innovative medical equipment and high-quality care, but it is also the priciest worldwide, and there are notable access inequities.
References
Asthana, S., Jones, R., & Sheaff, R. (2019). Why does the NHS struggle to adopt eHealth innovations? A review of macro, meso and micro factors. BMC Health Services Research, 19, 1-7. Web.
Heller III, R. E., Joshi, A., Sircar, R., & Hayatghaibi, S. (2023). Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program: an overview for the pediatric radiologist. Pediatric Radiology, 53(6), 1179-1187. Web.
Phillips-Beck, W., Eni, R., Lavoie, J. G., Avery Kinew, K., Kyoon Achan, G., & Katz, A. (2020). Confronting racism within the Canadian healthcare system: systemic exclusion of First Nations from quality and consistent care. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 1-20. Web.
Reibling, N., Ariaans, M., & Wendt, C. (2019). Worlds of healthcare: a healthcare system typology of OECD countries. Health Policy, 123(7), 611-620. Web.