Access and Coverage
Nearly 47 million Americans are uninsured. Hospitals are the health care safety net for the nation. Every day the caregivers in America's hospitals see that the absence of coverage is a significant barrier to getting people the right care, at the right time, in the right setting. American Hospital Association’s goal is to help people obtain health coverage, help businesses offer health coverage to employees, and ensure access to essential services. (aha.org)
The term health insurance is commonly used to describe any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a non-insurance social welfare program funded by the government. Health Insurance or Healthcare in the United States is provided by many different entities. Health care facilities are mostly owned and operated by the private sector. Health insurance is now primarily provided by the government in the public sector, with 60-65% of healthcare provision and spending coming from programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Veterans Health Administration. (healthpaconline.net)
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that a record 50.7 million residents of the population were uninsured in 2009. More money per person is spent on health care in the USA than in any other nation in the world. Despite everyone not having health insurance, the USA has the third highest public healthcare expenditure per capita, because of the high cost of medical care in the country. The United States is the only nation that does not ensure every person has health insurance. Active debate about health care reform in the United States concerns questions of a right to health care, access, fairness, efficiency, cost, choice, value, and quality. Some have argued that the system does not deliver equivalent value for