Healthcare policies are becoming more and more debated nowadays, as this topic is one of the top 3 concerns. A healthcare policy represents a set of methods and rules aimed at shaping health delivery. Such a system covers many long-term issues concerning financing health programs, public health, chronic and mental diseases, and disabilities. Healthcare is one of the fundamental rights of a citizen irrespective of social circumstances.
However, in some way, it is a luxury for someone to have adequate access to healthcare systems. A stable healthcare system, able to meet the needs of the people, demands constant financial investment, a competent workforce, and well-sustained facilities to ensure qualitative service. Even though such policies are aimed towards the amelioration of healthcare, not many of them work correctly.
The article Which health policies actually work? We rarely find out written by Austin Frakt deals with issues of the U.S. governmental Medicaid and Medicare programs that provide people with medical services. According to the source, “The United States spends a tremendous amount on health care, but very little of it learning which health policies work and which don’t” (Frakt, 2019, p.A13). The same uncertainty goes with the clinical trials conducted: most of them do not have enough evidence to prove their efficiency. Therefore, the base providing evidence for health policies is insufficient.
It was noted that the expansion of Oregon’s Medicaid program was stopped as it lacked statistically significant findings (Frakt, 2019, p.A13). The randomized studies are rare, but very influential in this area as they help to establish the program’s capability of providing a qualitative service.
The author of the article discussed a topic of relevance as database making is crucial in evaluating a healthcare program and for comparison with other applications. The author states that there was a law, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, which could help to collect information about these governmental programs (Frakt, 2019, p.A13). Policymakers should not prefer to ignore the assessment of programs as it is necessary to inspect plans and prove if they are workable or not. Generally speaking, the topic is relevant because of the healthcare programs should undergo rigorous inspection and assessment to determine they are capable of supplying high-quality services and materials.
Austin Frank also posted another article concerning the theme of healthcare policy under the headline Would your wages rise under “Medicare for all”?, where he starts by saying that around 157 million Americans get their health insurance mostly through work. It means that the workers contribute approximately 18% of the insurance cost. There is a so-called dollar to dollar trade-off between wage and payment for insurance.
The percentage paid by the company directly depends on one’s fee. One of the senators of Medicare suggested to raise taxes on the wealthy and to reduce the employer’s investment in insurance but not entirely. Another senator plan was to tax not only the wealthy but to tax employers a quantity intended to be spent on healthcare. However, recently employers have been trying to cut down on the workers’ benefits to raise their salaries.
The abovementioned topic is critically important for understanding the issue of paying for insurance. The wage question is relevant for perceiving how employers cover the percentage of healthcare insurance and why they can raise earnings. Some alterations proposed by senators or activists within this area will cause higher taxation. According to the article, in terms of Medicare for all programs, it is evident that insurance costs will transfer from employer to government so that some people will get wage rise.
The crucial point for policymakers is whether the annual increase of insurance cost can be reduced, at the same time enhancing access to care, cultivating quality, and diminishing. It also means that the conducted policy must be supported by publicity. Around 3.5$ billion was spent in 2017 to sustain the healthcare of the population of the U.S. that equates to almost 325 million. Within the past decade, a lot of initiatives were suggested to reform this policy reduce the cost and maintain qualitative service. For instance, such programs as Medicare and Medicaid expanded under the Affordable Care Act. It implies a sophisticated approach to solving acute issues.
The presented issue performs a project aimed at the potential reducing of investment and improving healthcare services, so it is quite relevant today. It is necessary to state that there are some inherent and valid solutions for this issue: market regulation, popularizing population wellness, diminishing the equities. Increasing or reducing the amount of money spent on such policies is not enough for improving the healthcare industry.
In conclusion, it is essential to mention that policies touching healthcare should be relevant to society and the benefit population. Firstly, the policymakers should establish plans and evaluate them so that the programs can be trustworthy. Moreover, it is clear that the market entirely affects the insurance cost. Finally, the importance of modification of previously existed policies and the creation of new ones will provide better conditions for further healthcare system development.
Reference
Frakt, A. (2019). Which health policies actually work? We rarely find out. The New Yorks Time, pp. A13.