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| Health Care in the United States |
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When it comes to health care in the United States of America, most of the attention in recent years has focused less on the real state of health care and access to it, and more on the state of health insurance. Much has been made, for example, of the fact that tens of millions of Americans currently subsist without health care insurance - though the numbers range from as low as 15 million to as high as 47 million people, depending upon who is citing the statistics. Nevertheless, to fully comprehend the current health care debate, a better understanding of the current state of health care in the United States is needed.
As the third largest country in the world, the Unites States has a population of roughly 300 million people. The health care system that serves both citizens and non-citizens alike is an expensive one by any standard of measurement, as more than 14% of the country's gross national product is devoted to providing this care. Depending upon who you believe, the cause of this cost is either the fault of greedy insurance companies and doctors who overcharge for insurance and services, the result of out of control tort action and unnecessary bureaucratic regulation and meddling, or some combination of the two. Regardless, the fact is that the United States spends significantly more than any other developed country for the health care that it provides its people.
For that money, the United States has purchased a mix of public and private health care, with more than 60% of all health insurance provided by employers, and more than 25% covered under public plans such as Medicaid and Medicare. Of the more than 6,000 hospitals in the country, the majority are non-profit entities treating three-fourths of all patients. The remaining 25% of patients are treated in for-profit hospitals that make up the remainder of medical facilities.
In looking at the current state of health care in the United States, the first thing that jumps out is the fact that hospitals are required to see anyone who comes through their doors, regardless of ability to pay. That fact would seem at odds with those who argue in favor of sweeping changes to the current system until one realizes that their argument focuses more on health insurance than actual access to care.
While generally regarded as providing one of the highest qualities of care available in the world, it is worth noting that the health care system in the United States has areas of deficiency. Not all doctors and hospitals are equal, and consistency in tests, diagnosis, and treatment options vary from state to state and across socio-economic lines. Because of this, the wealthy are able to obtain much better care than the poor, a fact that strikes many proponents of universal health care as being grossly unfair. Of course, it should probably be noted that the wealthy are also able to purchase superior homes, cars, and other products as well, so health care as a commodity seems to be no different in that regard.
When polled, most doctors and nurses have significant worries about the current and future states of health care in the United States of America. Surprisingly, however, their concerns have almost nothing to do with the current debate that is being played out in our nation's Capital and in town halls across the country. It turns out that most medical professionals see an existing crisis that appears likely to worsen over time - and it is not access to health insurance. Rather, both doctors and nurses alike are primarily concerned with the present and future shortages of qualified medical personnel, and the resulting strains that those shortages will cause on their ability to adequately treat patients.
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