There are many ideas aimed at improving the overall health and well-being of Americans. One of them is to create a universal healthcare system, which would provide accessible medical services to all Americans. If the resources of the country are distributed wisely and the quality of services is maintained, universal healthcare would not only increase the level of medicine but would also allow states to save their resources. Since the discipline of healthcare management mainly focuses on organizational issues, leadership, and control over medical institutions, this idea can be especially important for this field of study. The ability to oversee separate elements and the general state of healthcare would significantly contribute to designing a proper universal healthcare model.
The idea of the universal healthcare system is based on the principles of accessible, people-centered medical help. The financial side of the problem and quality control are also the aspects that require additional research. The universal healthcare system is primarily aimed at patients and improving the overall health conditions of American citizens. Policy-makers and medical personnel can also be affected due to the resulting changes in salaries, working conditions, and legal regulations. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the advantages of universal healthcare from the point of view of its purpose, finance, and quality, and analyze the ways to guarantee them.
The most important supporting evidence for the idea of universal healthcare lies in the legal and moral principles of medicine in America. According to the American Constitution, every American citizen has the right to be protected and to have access to healthcare. Gaffney (2018) emphasizes that there are many cases of death in the U.S. which are connected to the lack of health insurance. The World Health Organization also confirms that health “is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition” (as cited in Ghebreyesus, 2017, para. 1). According to the WHO, people-centered care is the main goal of universal healthcare (as cited in Ghebreyesus, 2017). Since everyone can face health problems of different complexity, money should not limit the access of people to healthcare.
Secondly, many people believe that the universal medical system may decrease financial resources spent on public and private healthcare. For example, Rozenman (2019) emphasizes that the efficient allocation of resources and the reduction of prices for drugs may serve as additional support to the system. Gaffney (2018) suggests reconsidering the system of taxes to reduce financial inequalities. According to his ideas, this measure would eliminate any difficulties connected with paying for medical insurance (Gaffney, 2018). Moreover, such changes may not only make healthcare more accessible but will also positively influence the overall welfare of citizens.
The third argument in favor of the idea is that changes in quality control systems would help maintain and increase the efficiency of healthcare. For example, Gaffney (2018) suggests evaluating the performance of the medical personnel and providing corresponding salaries to doctors, nurses, and other medical workers. He states that this would help to “receive the same, if not better, more streamlined quality of care” (Gaffney, 2018, para. 15). Moreover, according to Counte et al. (2018), reimbursement, value-based payment, training programs, and proper incentives would also contribute to an increase in healthcare quality. Implemented together, these measures would make healthcare accessible and efficient at the same time.
Universal healthcare fully corresponds to the moral principles about the health and well-being in the U.S. Although some people doubt that the U.S. can afford this system, control over taxes and proper distribution of resources may positively influence the country’s budget. Finally, proper quality control and value-based payment may help maintain healthcare efficiency. All these discoveries prove that the goal of universal healthcare is achievable, provided that its main aspects are taken into account.
References
Counte, M. A., Howard, S. W., Chang, L., & Aaronson, W. (2018). Global advances in value-based payment and their implications for global health management education, development, and practice. Front Public Health, 6(379), 1-7. Web.
Gaffney, A. (2018). Universal healthcare could save America trillions: What’s holding us back? The Guardian. Web.
Ghebreyesus, T.A. (2017). Health is a fundamental human right. World Health Organization. Web.
Rozenman, E. (2019). ‘Health care’ for all — Affordability for none. American Thinker. Web.