...I will argue for a universal healthcare system in the United States through a comparison of feminist ethics and traditional ethics. I find that the following considerations from Virginia Held’s Ethics of Care, and Kant’s view on autonomy provide a convincing argument for universal healthcare coverage. Held In Virginia Held’s Ethics of Care, she makes six distinct statements on care ethics through a feminist point of view. 1.) “Moralities built on the image of the independent, autonomous, rational individual largely overlook the reality of human dependence and the morality for which it calls.” (Camp, 2011:48) Held is describing how interdependence is primary and one is not in control of caretaking relationships. The majority of caretaking relationships are not chosen (parents and siblings) and we have a responsibility of care to these unchosen relations. We are all interdependent on each other, not autonomous. An argument relating to health care according to the view presented by Held on feminine ethics directly confirms the point that we are not autonomous beings: “Children in particular are harmed by familial stress and developmental delays from not receiving health care, both of which can lead to behavioral problems and loss of potential. When one member is uninsured or becomes ill, there is a financial burden put on the rest of the family” (http://www.amsa.org). Universal health care coverage would allow for this family burden of stress and finances to be decreased...
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...“Universal Healthcare” Synopsis: The essay, “A Universal Healthcare System: Is It Right for The United States?” by Marleise Rashford describes the positive effect of universal healthcare. In the essay she explains how a universal healthcare system will help this country. The United States is the only industrialize nation that does not provide healthcare for its citizens. She criticizes the American healthcare system. “The current American system cost too much, cover too little and excludes too many” according to Rashford. Marleise Rashford emphasizes that money is not the issue why America has not reform its health system. Corruption, lobbyist, and private insurances are the ones responsible for this. The essay mentions that 45 million Americans are uninsured. This essay will analyze and critique Rashford’s essay. I support the universal healthcare system. The United States is the only industrialized nation without universal healthcare. The United States ranks poorly compare to other industrialized nations on healthcare. Universal healthcare will cover all the American citizens. It will benefit the underprivileged citizens of this country. American citizens will have a longer life expectancy. Infant mortality rates will decrease. The United States is the only industrialized nation without universal...
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...Cyndie Miculan Healthcare Reform and Utilization The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has prompted considerable debate. While some believe that the Act will eventually serve as a foundation for the destruction of the healthcare system, others believe that the Act does not provide enough coverage to truly reform the system. In an effort to better understand the implications of reform to the healthcare system the current investigation considers how the PPACA has impacted access to care, how these issues may change care utilization, the concept of universal healthcare, the stakeholders involved in universal healthcare, and the roles emerging in the healthcare industry as a result of reform. Issues of Concern Reform and Access to Care The passage of the PPACA has been viewed by many as a boon to expanding patient access to care. In addition to the fact that the legislation ended the ban on pre-existing conditions—requiring healthcare companies to offer coverage regardless of the patient’s health—the legislation also mandated that all citizens have health insurance. Even though the individual insurance mandate has been highly contested it has provided a means for delivering healthcare coverage to more individuals than at any time in recent history. However, providing near-universal healthcare coverage has had some caveats. In particular, there is growing concern that the large number of patients entering the healthcare system—a projected 32 million—will...
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...Universal Healthcare in the United States Larrissa McBride HCS 235 Monday January 23, 2012 Margaret Meador Universal Healthcare in the United States Healthcare is on the minds of every American in today’s society. Everyone worries about what they will do to afford healthcare and even if they will receive healthcare. America has some of the greatest technological advances and in trained professionals. However, American only ranks 20th in life expectancy and we rank almost the lowest in healthcare availability to its citizens. This causes me to believe that American needs to adopt some type of universal healthcare reform. According to the department of Health and Human Services the United States is one of the only industrialized countries to not give every individual healthcare coverage and access. The United States currently has a system of government sponsored and private insurance companies. The “poor” Americans fall under the care of government based programs. Those who are poor but are considered too wealthy for government sponsored programs are forced to turn to for-profit insurance companies. These for profit companies have strict guidelines and or co-payments and are likely to turn down medical care for any reason they see fit without explanation. I feel that some kind of universal health care system would regulate and control these organizations and could potentially save billions. Currently in the United States a large majority of citizens are uninsured. According...
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...a New Policy Name: Institution: Course title: Instructor: Date: Business and Canadian Government Policy; Initiating A New Policy Introduction This paper looks into a proposal on the introduction of a universal pharmaceutical policy or pharmacare in Canada. Canada is a country that has a global reputation of offering a successful healthcare to its populations. The Canadians enjoys free healthcare facilities because when they get sick they just need to visit the hospital or their doctors even when they do not have money. The government funds for the universal health policy by use of government revenues. The government gets the funds to pay the policies through taxation of Canadians who are well-off. Most Canadians especially the ordinary Canadians have benefited from the universal healthcare as it has increased their accessibility to health services (Fierlbeck, 2011). Although most Canadians and stakeholders consider the Canadian healthcare policy as universal, it is not comprehensive. A comprehensive healthcare policy should offer a complete healthcare package for citizens. The current healthcare policy in Canada does not substantially offer a comprehensive healthcare policy. This is because various core areas of healthcare are not covered with the current policy on healthcare. The core areas that have been left out by the policy include dental care, prescription drugs, and prescription glasses. The prescription drugs are more important as it remains hard for a person to recover...
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...Mahimda 1 Abdlillah Mahimda Eng-112-26 Professor Dubson 4/21/10 Universal Healthcare For America The healthcare system in America has been an ongoing debate for many years. President Obama has just passed a bill to Americans that will provide healthcare for many that are uninsured but it is still not the single payer they have in Canada, and many other European countries. The Current system of healthcare companies has deprived many Americans of important medical needs for profit. Pre-existing conditions and outrageous monthly premiums are just some of the measures they input for ongoing profit. Universal Healthcare in America should be mandated because it will eliminate health insurance companies that only look for profit and it will also show the world that Americans consider healthcare not as a privilege but as a right. Health insurance companies have benefited tremendously from the current system of healthcare from record profits and hefty bonuses to their chairmen. To give you a few examples , Ronald A. Williams from Athena received 23,045,835 in compensation, H. Edward Hanway Mahimda 2 Cigna 25,839,777, and Dale B. Wolf from Covernity received 14,869,823(Ricciardelli). These hefty salaries were all made possible because these companies denied medical care to their members because of a pre-existing condition.” A pre –existing condition can be something as common or as serious as heart disease, high...
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...living almost as unattainable as immortality. This problem could be fixed with a simple solution that has been proven to increase quality of life: Universal Healthcare. Many Americans do not see a need for universal healthcare. It is true that America has survived long enough without Universal Healthcare, but that does not mean it would not...
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...The United States having universal healthcare Michelle Garbarino Eng 122 James Meetze February. 25, 2013 Should the United States have Universal Healthcare? The question of Universal Healthcare in the United States has valid and non valid arguments with supporters on both sides of the issue. Millions of Americans do not have affordable health care insurance. The main question is who is responsible to provide this? Is it feasible for government to pay for the lack of health care by taxpayer’s dollars? Should you be responsible for yourselves or should you be compensated by the government? Unemployment is at record high making health insurance less attainable or affordable than ever. In most cases, additional restrictions or taxes will be placed on goods and services to pay for the Universal Health Care plan. By addressing each side of the argument and discussing the benefits, risks, and effects of Universal Health Care in the United States a fair conclusion can be made. The Arguments for Universal Healthcare in the United States, Rising health care cost has made it difficult to maintain adequate health care and eventually has driven many Americans into bankruptcy (Frosch, Dan, 2005). More than 62% of the individuals who filed bankruptcy filed because of medical expenses and 78% who filed had medical insurance. The high cost of medical expenses today often drives many families into bankruptcy because they cannot afford the high expense of medical costs," (Himmelstein...
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...Running head: UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE PLAN Universal Healthcare in America Name NUR 109 Fundamentals in Nursing Front Range Community College Universal healthcare is a controversial, yet important topic facing our country today. According to the author, Marleise Rashford there are approximately 300 million people living in the United States and one sixth of them are uninsured.(2007,p.5) That is approximately 50 million without insurance in our country today. Is this number so large because people are unable to afford it, is healthcare not important to them, or are they not using the government’s current medical systems that are put in place for them to use? These are all valid concerns that need to be addressed. The controversy at hand is putting together plan that will be effective, low cost to Americans and a fair reimbursement for working physicians. One huge advantage of universal healthcare program is that each individual no matter their income or pre-existing condition would be covered. That means everyone in the United States would be able to receive affordable benefits including preventative, surgical, specialists visits, rehabilitative services, hospitalizations, long term care and prescription medications. (Rashford, 2007, p.4) The universal healthcare system works through the primary care physician. The physician would be the patient’s overseer and they help plan routine health screens, early interventions, or any...
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...Do you believe in Universal Healthcare? COMM 215 Carolina Gasca Universal Healthcare? Healthcare Reform? The United States is considered by most to be the greatest country to ever grace the face of the planet. It has the largest military, the largest economy, freedom of speech and religion, and one of the first “successful” democracies and of course, the American dream. Yet, what is the one thing that most people seem to forget? That the United States of America, the most dominant force in the world, is also the only westernized industrial nation without a Universal Healthcare system. At an astonishing $2.6 billion spent on health care in 2010, or 18% of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product, the United States also spends more than any other country in the world on a failing health care system, only half of which actually goes towards hospital visits and physician care. Clearly, something has to be done, especially as 48.6 million Americans remain uninsured. The question then begs, what can be done to solve the financial woes of America as well as to ensure that no American has to worry about a lack of medical insurance? The most obvious, and actually in many ways simplest, solution is to develop a universal, comprehensive, organized and public healthcare system that covers all Americans for medical necessities, including doctor, hospital, long-term, dental, drug and preventive care costs. As soon as the term “Universal healthcare” is brought to light, the far...
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...Analysis of Bill: Universal Healthcare Act The purpose of this analysis is to discuss the impact bill HB0942, Illinois Universal Healthcare Act, will have on the healthcare system in Illinois. This bill will allow easy healthcare access to all individuals living within the state. While there are many positives that can result from this new bill, there are also unintended consequences that could arise that must be taken into consideration. Many groups currently oppose the bill, yet others offer full support and hope to see it in action soon. Funding is a major issue since all citizens of Illinois will be covered by the plan. There are specific provisions included within HB0942 which range from medical services to long term care to job placement for anyone affected. Overview of the Problem Today, many Illinoisans are facing an enormous problem: the rising cost of healthcare. Currently, our state’s medical care cost, as of all America, is outrageously expensive while the quality of care is inadequate compared to other countries around the world. Using the latest statistics by the Physicians for a National Health Program Illinois (PNHP), approximately 1.8 million of the 13 million citizens of Illinois are lacking healthcare coverage ("A Single-Payer Statewide," 2013). It is very clear that the system the state is currently using is not working. For this reason, a new bill is in the process of being passed. The rising cost and lack of access to healthcare is causing a...
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...Running Head: U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REFORM HS543 Health Services Finance Summer Term 2012 Instructor: Mary Black Course Project Outline U.S. Healthcare System Reform Submitted By Project Outline This project will explore the current state or our healthcare and where it is predicted to cost us in the future. We will also examine the overall health programs and how the uninsured will affect the system entirely. Universal healthcare would alleviate the financial burden on some of the population and provide access to almost all of the country's population; however, this system will cost more. Funding the program will be discussed as well as the taxes and other funding that will help pay for the coverage. Likewise, how this will affect hospitals and healthcare providers. Topic: U.S Healthcare System Reform Outline I. Abstract II. Introduce the Issue (Background) A. An analysis of our current healthcare system 1. A history of major events 2. Impact to healthcare organizations III. Defining the problem A. Political disagreements B. The increase of expenses IV. Literature Review A. Is U.S. Healthcare deteriorating? B. Effects on the profitability of local hospitals V. Analyze the Problem A. Raising insurance premiums B. The uninsured VI. Possible Solutions A. French Healthcare system B. A public option VII. Implementation Plan A. Financing VIII. Justification A. Access of...
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...Topic: U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REFORM Course Project T. Wise DeVry HSM 534 Health Service Finance February 23, 2013 Week 7 Professor Alison Williams Background The United States, being the most diverse society in the world, has a long and unsuccessful history of attempts at healthcare reform. We spend almost $2 trillion dollars per year on healthcare, yet not all American people have medical coverage (Barton, 2007). A huge percent of the population have to rely on outside sources, such as benefit health care from an employer or from government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. As compared to other nations, our society has people that are more overweight, live under more stress, and are less in physical activity. Additionally, our healthcare system underperforms compared to with other nations in critical areas such as, access, quality and efficiency (Davis). How did our system get this way? Why are we paying so much while other nations not so much? A history of major events - The U.S. healthcare system is trying to evolve with modern times; however, as time goes on, our current situation becomes more apparent: * In the 1950s, the price of hospital care was growing; however, more attention was diverted to the war in Korea. Many legislative proposals were made, but none could not be agreed on. * In the 1960s, hospital care expenses doubled, and despite over 700 insurance companies selling health insurance, a large percentage of the population...
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...Universal Health Coverage: A Possibility for the United States Brittannie DePew Eng 122 David Moskowitz 9/21/2013 Medical costs are getting too expensive. Ever fought with your insurance providers because they refused to pay for care, or struggle to find an “in-network” provider? I know a woman whose name I will change for her privacy and the struggles she is going through are a perfect example of an issue many people face when dealing with insurance; Nancy’s (name changed for privacy) story is a perfect example of how our healthcare system is no longer working for the people. Nancy is this woman whose husband recently passed away. Nancy used to work for county and county workers cannot receive social security; and Nancy is too young for Medicaid by six years. Unfortunately, when Nancy’s husband passed away her healthcare began to go with him. Unless Nancy can find a way to pay the provider over a thousand dollars a month Nancy will lose her health care, because it was healthcare provided through her husband. She has tried searching for other providers but she cannot get the same coverage for any less money, when she found a couple that were close to the same coverage they did not accept pre-existing medical conditions. As a matter in fact many companies do not accept pre-existing medical providers. There are no options for Nancy; and that is wrong. There are many reasons why the United States should seriously consider Universal healthcare. Universal healthcare should...
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...to highlight in my research of Canadian universal healthcare vs. US healthcare is that Canadian health care is federally funded and covers mostly all of the medical services used by the residents. The US has healthcare for the people but is covered at the citizens’ expense via an insurance company. The citizens are responsible for maintaining the premiums set by the insurance companies via the employer of the citizens or privately attained. However, this could explain why nearly 50 million people are uninsured because a lot of Americans cannot afford the premiums set by the insurance companies or quoted to them privately. The issue without healthcare is that the premiums are many times to expensive. The insurer will not pay because the conditions the patient may have could be pre-existing and will cause the company to pay for many expenses that are acquired before they are insured. Unlike the US, Canadian is federally funded so those issues are not of a concern, only finding when the care can be provided is the concern. Next, even though universal care for the Canadians appear to be ideal and a dream come true, the Canadians still have longer waiting lines and longer times for the services to be carried out than the US. The Canadian are much slower to adopt expensive technology to perform certain procedures. Universal healthcare can negotiate prices and services to reduce the overhead cost. When dealing with universal healthcare it is providing a blanket of coverage to...
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