Health Care System Analysis

A1. Country Comparison
The health care system in the United States is quite complex. It is made up of different types of payment system including Medicare, Medicaid, Private insurance and independent payers. Medicare is a federally funded health insurance program for the disabled persons with end-stage renal disease, and persons 65 years of age and older who qualify for Social Security benefits (Cherry, Jacob 2014). Medicaid is similar to Medicare as it is a jointly sponsored state and federal program that pays for medical services for persons who are elderly, poor, blind, or disabled and for certain families with dependent children who meet specified income guidelines (Cherry, Jacob 2014). Private health insurance is purchased from for-profit
In the United States, these situations are handled differently based upon the patient’s insurance plan allowances. Medicaid recipients and patients that carry health maintenance organization (HMO) private insurance are required to obtain a referral slip from their primary care provider (PCP) before they can be seen by a specialty physician in their network. Medicare recipients and patient that carry preferred provider organization (PPO) private insurance are not required to obtain a specialist referral if their chosen specialist accepts their particular insurance. Uninsured patients are required to pay for the services of a specialist at the time of
Some of the most improvised citizens are recipients of Medicare and Medicaid. Currently, Medicare recipients pay approximately $104 monthly for Medicare part B which covers 80% of all outpatient medical costs after the annual deductable is met (CMS 2016). This is an extensive cost considering the fact that most of the recipients of Medicare are citizens that are retired and citizens that are disabled and unable to work. In addition to Medicare part B, recipients have to pay for an additional prescription drug plan that carries a separate monthly premium. These costs can wreak havoc on recipients that are on a fixed income. Citizens that are ineligible for Medicare or Medicaid must purchase a private insurance policy to avoid paying a fee with their annual tax bill (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2015). Some families are unable to pay the cost of private insurance premiums even if their employer pays a portion of the expense. Those families will incur and additional expenses that may further damage their financial