Sick Around the World
SW
June 5, 2013
‘Sick Around The World’ Video Summary This movie went around the world to different countries to show the comparisons and differences in healthcare compared to each other and the U.S. The first country that was visited was the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom spends 8.3% of their GDP on healthcare. The citizens pay nothing for premiums, all of it is paid trough taxation. Some services require co-pay, but all young people and all elderly are exempt from drug co-pays. The United Kingdom calls their healthcare system “socialized medicine”; the government provides for and pays for all healthcare. The taxes that Britons pay gets distributed up to different healthcare providers. Since the United Kingdoms’ system is taxed, administrative costs are low due to no bill collecting or any claims needing to be reviewed. The United Kingdom has ‘gatekeepers’, which is just a general practitioner, who patients must see first in order to see a specialist. Gatekeepers are paid extra for keeping their patients healthy. While there can still be long waits and limited choices, patients are now able to choose where they want to be treated. The second country that was visited was Japan. Japan spends 8% of their GDP on healthcare. The citizens pay $280 per month for premiums, while their employers are paying more than half of that. The citizens pay 30% of all procedures and it is also based on income. Japan calls their healthcare system “social insurance”, which means that all citizens are required to have health insurance. They can have their health insurance through their work or they can purchase it through a community-based plan. If a citizen cannot afford the premiums, the government steps in and covers it for them. Japan has been known to have the best health statistics in the world. Japan does not have any gatekeepers, the Japanese can go to anyone they want as often as they want. Every physician is to charge the same amount for any given procedure. This
June 5, 2013
‘Sick Around The World’ Video Summary This movie went around the world to different countries to show the comparisons and differences in healthcare compared to each other and the U.S. The first country that was visited was the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom spends 8.3% of their GDP on healthcare. The citizens pay nothing for premiums, all of it is paid trough taxation. Some services require co-pay, but all young people and all elderly are exempt from drug co-pays. The United Kingdom calls their healthcare system “socialized medicine”; the government provides for and pays for all healthcare. The taxes that Britons pay gets distributed up to different healthcare providers. Since the United Kingdoms’ system is taxed, administrative costs are low due to no bill collecting or any claims needing to be reviewed. The United Kingdom has ‘gatekeepers’, which is just a general practitioner, who patients must see first in order to see a specialist. Gatekeepers are paid extra for keeping their patients healthy. While there can still be long waits and limited choices, patients are now able to choose where they want to be treated. The second country that was visited was Japan. Japan spends 8% of their GDP on healthcare. The citizens pay $280 per month for premiums, while their employers are paying more than half of that. The citizens pay 30% of all procedures and it is also based on income. Japan calls their healthcare system “social insurance”, which means that all citizens are required to have health insurance. They can have their health insurance through their work or they can purchase it through a community-based plan. If a citizen cannot afford the premiums, the government steps in and covers it for them. Japan has been known to have the best health statistics in the world. Japan does not have any gatekeepers, the Japanese can go to anyone they want as often as they want. Every physician is to charge the same amount for any given procedure. This