A Comparison of Health Care Sytems

Impacting nations’ political, social, cultural and economic systems, globalization has literally changed our everyday lives. While one aspect of globalization involves the unification and standardizing of various worldwide components, it also celebrates the uniqueness of countries. For instance, though health care systems throughout the world can be classified under general types, different aspects make each country’s unique.

Americans Unhappy About Health Care

Americans are increasingly becoming discontent with the structure, course and expenses of their current system. This has resulted in guarded support for a universal health care system based on Medicare, which the government would operate and taxpayers would finance.

According to a broad poll conducted by ABC News and The Washington Post poll, by a 2-1 ratio, Americans prefer a universal health insurance program over the existing system that is employer-based. However, less than half would support such a system if it included a restricted choice of physicians, or waiting lists for medical care that did not involve emergencies.

U.S. Health Care Statistics

In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked the United States’ health care system as 37th in the world. As of 2004, federal, state, and local governments paid 44% of health care expenses, private insurance provided 36% of the costs, and private out-of-pocket expenses comprised 15% of total expenditures.

Universal Health Care with Local Flavor

Today, the United States remains the only industrialized country in the world that lacks universal health care. How does its system compare with those of other nations?

• Canada provides universal access to health care through an obligatory system of social insurance. Private insurance is also another option that can be availed of. Canada now provides national health insurance that is single-payer.
• Its Sickness Insurance Funds (SIFs) mainly funds France’s health care system. SIFs are independent, not-for-profit organizations. They have national headquarters, local networks, and the government supervises them. Obligatory payroll contributions (13% of salary) of employees and employers fund SIFs. These funds cover 99% of the population in France.
• Each German in Germany qualifies for health insurance. Meanwhile, those above a particular tax bracket can secure private health care coverage. Sickness Insurance Funds (SIFs) cover over 90% of the population. Obligatory payroll contributions (14% of salary), which employees and employers equally share, support SIFs.
• In Japan, obligatory payroll contributions fund the Employee’s Health Insurance System, which employees and employers contribute to equally (8% of salary). Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance System covers those who are self-employed, members of the same profession, and pensioners.
• In the United Kingdom, the government determines a yearly budget for the NHS. Executive, regional, and local groups supervise the NHS. National insurance payments and General taxes fund the NHS, which comprises almost 90% of the nation’s health insurance costs.

The essence of the debate in the United States about health care does not center on whether change is needed. Rather, the ultimate question is about what specific changes should be implemented.

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