Summary of Links.

Summary of Links.

The United States is reportedly the highest spending country when it comes to healthcare, according to a 2018 research. Its healthcare cost stands at 10,000$ per capita, only 2000$ more than the 2012 reported figure. Although the country’s healthcare spending is high, it does not reflect the quality of care and health outcomes. Countries such as Norway, with far less expenditure, divulge funds to social medicine, making it one of the healthiest states (Investopedia,2018).

The high cost of healthcare in the United States is mainly due to reliance on private health insurance. The government does not subsidize health care, as is the case with other governments in the developed world. Moreover, rising premiums increases the burden of cost on citizens to pay hefty amounts out of pocket.  The increased demand for healthcare as a consequence of services like Medicare and Medicaid only increases the financial burden (Investopedia,2018). The lack of transparency in healthcare makes it difficult to determine the exact cost of services leading citizens to make drastic decisions like avoiding healthcare.

Italy has one of the most advanced public health systems in the developed world. The healthcare professionals are well trained and excellently equipped to provide first-class healthcare to all its citizens. It is precisely why the country felt it was well prepared to tackle the corona pandemic. Within the initial onset of arrival and spread of the disease in the country, the number of confirmed cases has proliferated, and the deaths associated with covid-19 only serve to state the obvious (NBC,2020). Even a country with advanced public healthcare is not adequately prepared for the menace that is the virus.

The country has had to grapple with reduced personnel, equipment, and bed spaces due to virus spread. The volume of patients overruns hospitals, and the staff are facing the highest level of burn out due to the workload. However, that is not the only concern. Staff also have to worry about preventing the infection they are trying to cure, with some not being so lucky. It further creates a strain on the already struggling health care system. Tough decisions have had to be made by personnel who have had to send patients away. It has affected other departments like gastroenterology and neurology. Furthermore, due to hospitals being over capacity, doctors have to decide who to prioritize for treatment (NBC, 2020).

A country like Italy, having quality public healthcare has not been able to keep up with the corona pandemic, even with patients having access to universal healthcare. Countries like the United States are expected to learn by taking on stringent preventive measures as a better way to combat the virus. Otherwise, the repercussions are expected to be far worse as the health care system is not as equipped as that of Italy.

Comparison and contrast.

The United States and Italy being part of the developed world, are well equipped to invest and build their health care systems to a high-quality standard. Both countries have above average developed systems that stem from strong economies that can support the initiative. Both countries also develop healthcare packages that benefit the citizens, with Italy responsible for Universal health care and the U.S providing services like Medicare and Medicaid (Investopedia, 2018).

Even with both countries having sound health care systems, Italy has been able to provide superior health care by offering its citizens access to universal health care. All residents have access to quality care regardless of whether they can pay. The United States has not been able to do so, and patients can only access quality healthcare through the help of insurance. Italy’s government finances the superior public health care system fully, while the United States has not been able to subsidize the service for all its citizens (NBC,2020).

Solution.

The solution to the health care problem facing the United States Health care System lies with the government. The government can take a page from other developed governments by subsidizing healthcare for its citizens to increase access. It can also invest in the transformation of public health to be able to provide quality care. There should also be an introduction of legislation that standardizes cost and services offered by health insurance companies so that patients can make informed choices based on accurate prices (Investoprdia,2018).

Topic relevance.

Health care is a public service that is vital to all citizens of a country. Discussing healthcare is relevant to the government because it is at the forefront of political issues that all governments in the world are facing. Provision of quality healthcare is a civil responsibility of the government and, as such, should be discussed as it connects to all aspects of finance, economy, and longevity.