This drug is far more available in the U.S. Others complain about waiting lists for specialists or refusals by their GPs to see much-needed specialists. Specialists in fields of practice such as mental health and dentistry are often scarce, in certain areas of the country. And because of lower tax revenues due to the recession and rising costs due to the aging of the population, the NHS has placed limits on routine orthopedic surgeries, such as hip and knee replacements, and radically restricted the funding of infertility treatments (Donnelly 2010).
However, despite these admitted problems, the United States spends almost 15% of gross domestic product on health care compared with less than 8% in the United Kingdom and a higher proportion of the British population thinks their system works well. (Hull 2005). When the recent Conservative government was elected to power, it reassured the nation that it would take steps to bolster the NHS and believed in the concept of universal healthcare. It has even taken steps to expand, rather than limit access of patients to expensive, experimental drugs (Hope 2010).
Because of cultural resistance to 'socialized' medicine in the United States, a switch to a single-payer system does not seem feasible in the near or far future. Despite the fact that health insurance companies routinely ration or act as gatekeepers to care, Americans seem more uncomfortable with the idea of the government restricting certain treatments. Admitted deficits with the UK system, such as its tendency to deny care to older patients or patients with a less strong prognosis would likely become political issues used by Republicans to drum up opposition to a NHS-style system. Rationing exists in both systems, but rationing by the government (versus private healthcare companies) makes Americans far less comfortable.
References
Donnelly, Laura. (2010, July). Axe falls on NHS Services. Daily Telegraph.
Retrieved June 22, 2011 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/7908742/Axe-falls-on-NHS-services.html
Ham, Chris. (2005). U.S. And UK health care: a special relationship?
BMJ, 330(7491): 597 -- 599. Retrieved June 22, 2011 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC554041/
Hope, Jenny. (2010, August). Cameron vows Tories will give cancer patients access to life-saving drugs rejected by NHS rationing body. The Daily Mail. Retrieved June 22, 2011 at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1263223/NHS-rationing-body-denies-15-life-saving-drugs-cancer-patients.html#ixzz1Q1gjAQRn
Sample Source(s) Used
References
Donnelly, Laura. (2010, July). Axe falls on NHS Services. Daily Telegraph.
Retrieved June 22, 2011 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/7908742/Axe-falls-on-NHS-services.html
Ham, Chris. (2005). U.S. And UK health care: a special relationship?
BMJ, 330(7491): 597 -- 599. Retrieved June 22, 2011 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC554041/
Related Documents
Study Document
Universal Health Care - Literature Review Universal
Universal Health Care - Literature Review Universal Health Care Universal health care is a hot-button topic for many people, especially since "Obamacare" was passed into law. However, there has been some discussion of a health care bill of some kind for the United States for many years before President Obama took office. The debate is nothing new, but there are two sides to the issue - both of which are very significant
Study Document
Universal Healthcare the Pros and
Some believe that a universal healthcare system would provide fewer incentives for doctors, who would be less likely to perform at their best. Doctors who are not paid based on their quality may be more likely to perform at a lower quality, some hypothesize. This argument is also used to support the fact that having national health insurance may dissuade those who would be good doctors from going into
Study Document
Universal Health Care System Also Termed As
Universal health care system also termed as single-payer system in intended for all individuals irrespective of their financial standing. No procedure is considered perfect for the universal or single healthcare system. Several nations are adopting various procedures for attaining the objective of providing insurance facilities to its individuals. Soviet Union is considered as the premier nation engaged in guaranteeing the system of universal health care to its citizens. After prolonged
Study Document
Universal Health Care the Overall
While all of these elements, working in tandem, are a viable way to overhaul the U.S. Health Care System, there needs to be cooperation in the halls of government and on the streets of the nation if the program is to take root. Political and Sociological Factors to Enact the Changes Politically, there needs to be a "crossing of the aisle" for those who are politically opposed to one another in the
Study Document
Universal Healthcare
Universal healthcare is certainly an intriguing prospect. There are a number of proponents for this form of healthcare and, within the United States, at least, perhaps an equal (as well as equally vociferous) amount of dissidents. Nonetheless, universal healthcare is a reality throughout Europe. In North America, it has long been implemented in Canada with effective results and little reason for disparagement. When one considers these two examples, as well
Study Document
Universal Health Care in the U.S. There
universal health care in the U.S. There are numerous compelling arguments in favor of establishing universal health care access in the U.S.; this essay surveys the literature on this topic and presents these arguments. Providing universal health care would benefit the country as a whole. According to Reuters, Harvard Medical School researchers found that each year nearly 45,000 people, or one every 12 minutes, die because they cannot get medical