Health care is one of the primary concerns of both the individual and of the society as it brings with it implications to the welfare of the various citizens spread across the social ladder. As citizens play a central role in the development of nations, these citizens should likewise be devoted due attention in terms of their health status (Politzer, Schempf, Starfield, & Shi, 2003). It is therefore a necessity that public policies should be crafted in such a way that they promote the well-being of the people and eliminate the gap that separates the rich and the poor in terms of access to the expensive costs of health care (Coalition, 1998).One of the persistent struggles in achieving this end is through the idea of a universal health care which attempts at arriving at a universal coverage of health care by injecting legal reforms.
This, however, is preempted to a certain degree by the fear that these “government reforms may lead to greater budget deficits and increased bureaucracy as well as reduction in the quality of health care ("Universal Access to Health Care," 1995). The expected rise in the expenditures of the government with the expansion of the health care coverage is seen as one of the unrelenting hindrances to the claim for a universal health care.On the other hand, investing on universal health care has its positive sides apart from the idea that it ensures a better quality of living for the people (Christensen, Resau, & Kamenir, 1989). With substantial living and health conditions for all the people, the elevation in the status of the welfare of the entire nation is not a farfetched idea. Purpose, rational, and motivation The purpose of this research is to bring into detail the varying elements that create the divide in the health care accessibility to the wide range of individuals in the society.By exposing the positive as well as the negative implications of obtaining a universal health care system, the research attempts to shed illumination on the grounds as to why such a system has been so often rebuked by the legal systems in many countries.
The research also attempts at providing the substantial significance of having a universal health care by citing the various affirmative effects that can be achieved once such system is adopted.Finally, the research aims to develop a deeper understanding on the underlying assumptions and on what remains ahead the proposal for a universal health care system. With the current disparity among the rich and poor countries and individuals across the globe in terms of health care standards, developing a more attentive stance towards these issues so as to mitigate the burdens and consequences of such a disparity remains the motivating force behind this research. Literature review A number of social events that have recently transpired have shaped the social perception towards health care.The terrorist attacks on New York as well as the fall down of Enron have amplified the existing crisis in health care specifically in America as these events consumed a considerable fraction of the federal budget thereby limiting its budget allocation on other significant social matters such as health care (Emanuel, 2002). The United States, for example, is one of the ironies in terms of health care.
As it leads almost all other countries in terms of industrialization, America has remained one of the countries that settle along the low ranks in terms of health care (Trevino & Jacobs, 1994).It is interesting to note that, with America having the best and worst of both sides, the status of those countries belonging to the third-world category may all the more be affected by a low-budget health care system. Third-world countries are claimed to be the more degraded victims of health care as budget expenses do not largely fall on the countries’ health care expenditures (Armbruster, 1989). Further, the social stratification within these countries also account for the existing disparity between the rich and the poor in terms of receiving proper medical attention and health care services (Williams, 1990).In order to bridge this growing gap, several policies have been adopted by a number of third-world countries so as to at least trim down the undesirable impacts of variations in health care accessibility (Castleman, 1997). However, the case for a universal health care remains elusive among these countries inasmuch as it does for the rest of the United States.
Health care innovations have also taken a significant role in the argument for creating a universal health care system. These innovations are recommendations, strategies models that are used to improve the quality of care into practice.In Texas, Health care innovations such as TMAP (Texas medical Algorithm Projects) are designed as a program that centers on the promotion of consistent treatment of depressive states and schizophrenia (Quesada & Heller, 1977; "Texas Medication Algorithm Project guidelines produce improvements in patients with major depressive disorder," 2004). The project is based on the basis that many of the patients are not improving because of most patients would see different health care providers that would prescribe a different medicines and protocols.
It allows physicians to follow specified treatment patterns and standards regarding their patients' charts so that other providers can understand why a treatment protocol was chosen. The patient’s outcome and functional improvement were better for those that took the algorithm based treatment. Thus encouraging physicians and other health care system to design the same easy to use algorithm based treatment. However, this treatment is not easy to afford as it entails costly expenses.
There are also efforts in upgrading the technology behind the health care service specifically in the United States.The computerization of medical records aims to lower the cost and improve healthcare quality. The use of computers in healthcare is envisioned to spread out resources and to facilitate proficient trade of information to alleviate patient care (Herdman, 2007). The trade of information, however, poses a negative effect in health care.
The biggest issue in automated healthcare is confidentiality and privacy. Usage of automated healthcare involves filling up a form that requires personal information which includes family background, DNA testing, moral and psychological state and other information that are too confidential.These pieces of information are kept in the medical record of the patient as it is very important because the information contained is a strong basis for the person’s privilege to enjoy his right to education, employment and insurance. The quality of healthcare to be given to the patient is also dependent in this personal information because the more accurate the personal information more accurate diagnosis and prescription will be obtained. A dilemma occurs in this aspect essentially because the patient needs to choose between privacy and high quality health care.
If the patient wants privacy, he may opt not to disclose information required in the personal information sheet as he may provide vague or wrong information to secure privacy. When this happens, the medical doctor assigned to evaluate his case will likely arrive at a wrong diagnosis of his illness. On the other hand, if the patient chooses high quality health care, then he is obliged to provide all the necessary information to cure his illness.These technological advances nevertheless creates a further gap between the rich and the poor for the reason that the cost of the most recent and most effective medical equipments is far beyond the reach of those who belong to the financially challenged and those who fall below the poverty line. Methods In order to arrive at a substantial exposition with regards to the positive and negative sides pertaining to universal health care, it is an imperative that the research should utilize information from medical journals that emphasize health care issues.
These issues include the perceived inequality between the rich and the poor in obtaining sufficient as well as costly medical assistance and treatment, the effects of brought about by the deprivation of health care both in first and third-world countries, and the public policies crafted by the government in order to mitigate the health care concerns of the public and resolve the crisis. Proper merit is also to be given to previous researches and published journals that tackle relevant topics on health care both on a larger scale and on a more specific scope.As much as possible, both positive and negative aspects of the researches and journals in terms of the appraisal on health care issues are to be taken into account so as not to promote bias and selective thinking which can undermine the research. Statistical data that pertains to the perceived relationship between financial and stratification to that of health care accessibility and provision are also to be sought after. Government records and statistical analyses as well as private data from non-governmental organizations also share a significant fraction in the research.
Both public and private spheres are to be looked into so as to extract the broadest and most comprehensive reports and information that are underlined in the exposition of the pros and cons of universal health care. After gathering all the vital documents and information needed in the research, a careful analysis of these documents is to be pursued by contextualizing all the relevant sides in the exposition into the contradicting as well as supporting claims, especially in the legal and social spheres, in universal health care.Interpretation of the analysis is to be followed by a summary and recommendation on the research topic after carefully deliberating on the extraction and usage of the relevant literature. Summary and conclusion The issues revolving around the idea of health care is not new in the eyes of many, especially the contention for a universal health care. Legislations have already been made in the attempt of closing down the curtains on the existing debates and arguments that seek to either promote or remove the need for a universal health care.A careful examination of the positive and negative sides brought about by the establishment of a universal health care brings one to a fuller understanding of the complexity of the problem inasmuch as it prompts one to relegate strands of attention towards it.
The main contentions behind the idea of a universal health care are as noble as anyone could think of. However, it must be noted that, while there may be contributive effects of such mode of health care, it also entails negative consequences along the process. With much left to be resolved, the debates surrounding universal health care remain.
