Economic Issues in Health Services

Economic Issues in Health Service

Good health has now gone beyond the reach of many Americans . It was found out that almost 45 million people are not covered by health insurance in the United States today , with the number expected to surpass the 50 million mark by year 2010 . This is the most concrete evidence which attests to the fact that the health of the people in this country is on a decline . The explanation for this very sad reality is simple : a growing number of the population has chosen to go without

br health insurance for the simple reason that they can no longer afford to have one . Accusing fingers are pointing to the rising cost of health care as the main reason . What makes the situation more alarming is the fact that majority of the uninsured are coming from the ranks of the working people , i .e , seven out of ten families with no insurance coverage have at least one full-time worker . Even children have not been spared - around 10 million are not covered by any health insurance today (Working America . 2007 ) Employment , therefore , no longer affords a citizen of the United States health insurance coverage , nor does it serve as a guarantee of a happy , healthy life . Depressing as it may sound , we simply have to accept the fact that health care cost has already gone beyond the reach of the average American

The different sectors of society responded in varying degrees to this deplorable situation

Adams (2007 ) hinted at the existence of a market monopoly . In his article entitled Beyond Dollars : The Real Cost of the U .S . Health Care System ' he blamed the rapid increase in the cost of health care in the United States to a system [which] is essentially operated like an organized crime ring , where the aim is to maximize profits , not to serve the public good ' He stressed the fact that the indifference exhibited by the Food and Drugs Administration at emphasizing prevention , as well as its tendency to cast doubt on , or even suppress alternative medicine , made possible the emergence of a market monopoly which is lorded over by pharmaceutical companies and health care providers . This market monopoly is further aided , according to Adams by the government 's tolerance of the massive marketing efforts being launched by manufacturers of disease-causing foods and groceries like soft drinks and other junk foods , thereby establishing a disease prone society . He explained that this inefficiency in the system of health care in the country not only triggered the dramatic rise in the cost of health care , but has also started driving away investors . In fact , he claimed that businesses are now starting to look elsewhere not only for cheap labor but also cheaper health care cost for their employees . He identified destination countries in Asia like South Korea , the Philippines , China , Taiwan , and Thailand . He specifically referred to Taiwan where , according to him

Working citizens are covered for merely 20 per month (in U .S...