The quality and accessibility of healthcare in first world countries will tend to be better than developing countries. One commonality among developed countries is the application of universal healthcare that covers much of their population. Either they are in the process of implementing a universal healthcare system or they already have one set in place. One outlier among the first world countries is the United States of America (8). To decide whether a country can be considered developed or not, the Human Development Index was used (21). Of the top 33 very highly developed countries, the United States was the only one that did not cover substantially all of it's population. While the countries have a universal system, the quality of the healthcare may vary from system (8).
Currently, a majority of Americans receive their health coverage through private health insurance plans (12). Pros to using private health insurance include the ability to choose one’s own physician, more plan options available, and a wider network of providers to choose from (12). The cons include higher prices than private health insurance, one must pay monthly premiums whether services are used or not, and better coverage and flexibility means higher payments.
The pros of public health insurance include more affordability than that of private health insurance plans, the possibility of being able to qualify for other for assistance with other expenses, and many plans require no co-pays or deductibles. The cons of public health insurance include less flexibility to choose providers, many providers do not accept government-sponsored health insurance, and the limitations on covered treatment though they may be deemed necessary.
One of the main reasons that the United States does not have universal healthcare is the political debate as to whether healthcare is a human right or not (22). Even though universal healthcare does not exist in the United States, the overall quality of healthcare is high. But the healthcare can become expensive depending on the insurance provider and private healthcare system (11). There is a large amount of healthcare options available to the citizens of the United States, but many can not afford them based on their income. Despite this fact, the Unites States spends more on healthcare per person than any other country (13). Healthcare in the United States can become so expensive that people will opt out of treatment in order to not to go into debt. One surgery could mean the difference between being financially stable and not. There are benefits to the private healthcare systems despite the cost. The quality of the healthcare in the United States is high, while the accessibility is lower compared to the other first world countries with a universal healthcare system.
Currently, a majority of Americans receive their health coverage through private health insurance plans (12). Pros to using private health insurance include the ability to choose one’s own physician, more plan options available, and a wider network of providers to choose from (12). The cons include higher prices than private health insurance, one must pay monthly premiums whether services are used or not, and better coverage and flexibility means higher payments.
The pros of public health insurance include more affordability than that of private health insurance plans, the possibility of being able to qualify for other for assistance with other expenses, and many plans require no co-pays or deductibles. The cons of public health insurance include less flexibility to choose providers, many providers do not accept government-sponsored health insurance, and the limitations on covered treatment though they may be deemed necessary.
One of the main reasons that the United States does not have universal healthcare is the political debate as to whether healthcare is a human right or not (22). Even though universal healthcare does not exist in the United States, the overall quality of healthcare is high. But the healthcare can become expensive depending on the insurance provider and private healthcare system (11). There is a large amount of healthcare options available to the citizens of the United States, but many can not afford them based on their income. Despite this fact, the Unites States spends more on healthcare per person than any other country (13). Healthcare in the United States can become so expensive that people will opt out of treatment in order to not to go into debt. One surgery could mean the difference between being financially stable and not. There are benefits to the private healthcare systems despite the cost. The quality of the healthcare in the United States is high, while the accessibility is lower compared to the other first world countries with a universal healthcare system.