Sick Around the World

What does “universal health care mean? Which countries in the film have universal health care? “Universal healthcare" or "universal coverage" refers to a scenario where everyone is covered for basic healthcare services, and no one is denied care as long as they are legal residents in the geography covered. Countries that have universal health care coverage are United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Taiwan. Although all five countries that was discussed in the video “Sick Around the World”, have universal healthcare coverage, each health care policy are uniquely designed to meet the needs of the people. The United Kingdom provides public healthcare to all UK permanent residents may receive free health care service at the point of need which is paid through taxes. In addition, each also has a private healthcare sector which is considerably smaller than its public equivalent, with provision of private healthcare acquired by means of private health insurance, funded as part of an employer funded healthcare scheme or paid directly by the customer. Also, they are the only country that was discussed that had a GP or General Practitioner. The GP acts as a gatekeeper in assisting patients in receiving specialized care. Japan’s universal coverage was another country that was investigated. It provides health care services to approximately one hundred and thirty million people and only uses eight percent of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product). Germany has a universal health care plan that can cover everyone with the option of opting out and selecting a private company for health care services. The insurance’s premiums are based on an individual income. Obama’s idea: Starting in 2014, middle-class families and individuals who don't have insurance through work can get tax credits to help them buy affordable coverage on the new health insurance exchanges. Through the new health insurance exchanges or through employers, Americans will be able to purchase affordable health coverage at lower rates, and many will be eligible for tax credits to help lower costs. Employers who choose to offer employees health insurance can receive tax cuts of up to 35% of premiums this year, and up to 50% in 2014. More than 60% of small employers will be eligible for these tax cuts. Starting this year, children will no longer be denied insurance due to pre-existing conditions, and adults with pre-existing conditions will have access to a temporary high-risk insurance pool. Starting in 2014, discrimination against pre-existing conditions will be banned completely. In 2007, 62% of all bankruptcies filed in the United States were linked to medical expenses. Health reform will prevent bankruptcies by capping annual out-of-pocket costs for families who receive insurance through the exchanges or a small business. In the United States, insurance companies can deny coverage to people who are sick or who have "pre-existing conditions," and they can make a profit. How do these two factors impact American health care? A pre-existing condition is a health problem that existed before you apply for a health insurance policy or enroll in a new health plan. A pre-existing condition is a health problem that existed before you apply for a health insurance policy or enroll in a new health plan. A pre-existing condition can be something as common and as serious as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and asthma. These are some chronic health problems that affect a large portion of the population. Even if you have a relatively minor condition such as hay fever or a previous accidental injury, a health plan can deny coverage. In the United States, a pre-existing condition can affect your health insurance coverage. If you are applying for insurance, some health insurance companies may accept you conditionally by providing a pre-existing condition exclusion period In Germany, the rich pay for the poor, the ill are covered by the healthy, health insurance continues with or without employment, and doctors, who are private entrepreneurs, make less money than they did before reform. o Why will doctors in Germany accept less money? o Should the rich pay for the poor when it comes to health insurance? Germany has Europe's oldest universal health care system, with origins dating back to Otto von Bismarck's Social legislation, which included the Health Insurance Bill of 1883. In the public system the premium is set by the Federal Ministry of Health based on a fixed set of covered services as described in the German Social Law (Sozialgesetzbuch - SGB), which limits those services to "economically viable, sufficient, necessary and meaningful services" Also it is not dependent on an individual's health condition, but a percentage of salaried income. Typically 10-15%, depending on the public health insurance company one is in, where half of that is paid by the employer. This system includes family members of any family members, or "registered member" ( Familienversicherung - i. e. husband/wife and children are free). It’s a "pay as you go" system - there is no saving for an individuals' higher health costs with rising age or existing conditions. With an aging population, there is an intrinsic risk that, in the long run, the burden to be carried by the young and working generations for the higher share of elderly will run the public system into a huge deficit or result in high premiums

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