Homework Question on American Healthcare
- Should American Healthcare Go Back to Basics, Or Continue Relying On Advanced Technology?
- Is There a Balance Between the Two?
Homework Answer on American Healthcare
The current US healthcare system is perceived as a model of inefficiency, despite embracing the current level of technology. The system is probably one of the most expensive in the world, owing to wastage of resources and idle capacities. The enactment of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) enhanced the use of technology in offering healthcare services, although some physicians are yet to adopt the service in their systems.
In addition, the rise of hospitals that offer prepaid services lead to the emergence of modern healthcare insurers. Despite numerous changes in the current healthcare system, people are still proposing for more changes, with notable argument on reducing the fee-for-service medical care. The best healthcare system in the US should incorporate the two systems, where advance technology should enable many Americans to afford quality healthcare, as well as increased access to healthcare facilities.
The Old Healthcare System
Before the PPACA was enacted in 2010, the healthcare in the US was offered by numerous private organizations, even though the government also owned some public hospitals. The US was still the only developed country that could not offer its citizens a universal healthcare system, as its system was a mixture of the government and the private sector. One of the advantages of the old healthcare system was reduced cost sharing, which was offered through Medicare Advantage plans (Huntington, et al., 2011).