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Comparing the US and UK health care systems Compose an essay that argues which health care system is better in terms of economics

Comparing the US and UK health care systems Compose an essay that argues which health care system is better in terms of econ...

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U.S. and U.K. Health Care Systems

Healthcare systems in the United Kingdom and the United States represent what most

view as two extremes. The extremes make it easier to check out the differences between the two

superpowers. However, due to the rather sharp contrasts, it isn't easy to establish which one has a

better healthcare system has one is unique and different from the other. Nonetheless, based on

the economic rationale, I believe the U.K's approach is a better economic healthcare system

primarily because health in the U.K is handled as a right and not a privilege.

Health care services are inherently scarce. In the U.S., healthcare services are rationed

primarily by income (Abduljawad and Al-Assaf). This compounds the fact that the money for

such services is limited, facilities are finite, and the concerned professionals are limited in skills,

time, capacity, and geography. Healthcare services and resources are thus allocated based on

one's ability to access the resources as most of the services are in the private sector's hands,

whose main aim is profit maximization. Thus scarcity may be induced to increase demand.

However, in the U.K., these services are provided freely by the public sector, which rather makes

the lack and allocation of resources in the country better (Adeniran).

Moreover, in the U.K., the government is directly involved in healthcare services

provided through the N.H.S. (Pope). The body ensures that the services offered are free for all,

whether rich or poor. The system allows the people to access the services regardless of economic

status as it is open to all. The public sector is the most dominant in healthcare provision

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(Papanicolas et al.). However, there are private sector institutions for those who wish to seek

such healthcare though in most cases, insurance is provided by employers for such persons. In

the U.S., being a mostly private sector, the people suffer the most. The government has a small

role in healthcare provision as most of the work is left for the private sector. Still, it beats the

logic that the U.S. spends about 15% of its G.D.P on healthcare while the U.K. spends only 8%

(Ham).

Additionally, in the U.K., the healthcare system is command based. This means that the

government regulates prices and budgets. Essentially, the government determines the costs,

which is zero as the market is limited to particular scopes of government control and regulation.

However, in the U.S., the healthcare system is market-based (Pope). This means that individuals

and businesses are free to contract and exchange resources at whichever price without

government interference. Essentially, prices are determined by the forces of demand and supply,

making the prices rather volatile. The citizens are the ones that bear the weight of the expensive

insurance plans (Adeniran).

It is no secret that the healthcare system in the U.K.is designed primarily to benefit the

consumers. Healthcare is free to all, and it is universal (Adeniran). Therefore, both the rich and

the poor have access to proper healthcare. However, as a result of the free services, healthcare

quality is likely to be compromised because so many people have free admission. Consumers

may also wait longer to receive quality care. On the contrary, in the U.S., due to a privatized

sector, the consumers are assured of excellent care and modern quality technology, which

guarantees the citizens of care regardless of the impending health condition (Pope). However, the

system is expensive, making it unfair to poorer consumers.

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SURNAME 1 Student's Name Professor's Name Course Date U.S. and U.K. Health Care Systems Healthcare systems in the United Kingdom and the United States represent what most view as two extremes. The extremes make it easier to check out the differences between the two superpowers. However, due to the rather sharp contrasts, it isn't easy to establish which one has a better healthcare system has one is unique and different from the other. Nonetheless, based on the economic rationale, I believe the U.K's approach is a better economic healthcare system primarily because health in the U.K is handled as a right and not a privilege. Health care services are inherently scarce. In the U.S., healthcare services are rationed primarily by income (Abduljawad and Al-Assaf). This compounds the fact that the money for such services is limited, facilities are finite, and the concerned professionals are limited in skills, time, capacity, and geography. Healthcare services and resources are thus allocated based on one's ability to access the resources as most of the services are in the private sector's hands, whose main aim is profit maximization. Thus scarcity may be induced to increase demand. Howeve ...
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