Health Care Systems 1 Running head: HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS

Health Care Systems: The French versus the U.S. Aubrey M McIntosh Murray High School

Health Care Systems 2 Health Care Systems: The French versus the U.S. Everyone in the world will always rely on healthcare. Illness and accidents are simply incidents that cannot be avoided. There are endless ways to run a Health Care System, but which is the most effective? It all begins with a simple factor; what are we attempting to accomplish? Is our country leaning more towards benefitting the citizens or searching to obtain profit? Health Care is a laborious factor to change, but theres always hope if there is cooperation. The U.S. has put in place The Affordable Health Care Act as an attempt to change our healthcare, but is the new program the most beneficial way to go? France is known to be proud holders of the best health care system in the world therefore we should use them as an example to improve our own. The current U.S. Health Care System is more profit based than citizen based, which plays a role in why we are ranked #36 in Health Care all around the world. As of 2010 The American Heart Association discovered 45 million were found uninsured leaving many helpless in the situation of needing medical assistance. Our GDP percent was at 17.9% leaving us the highest spenders on health care in the entire world..And in a flash we are projected to be at 19.5% by 2017. (W.H.O., 2011). The majority of our Health Care providers are private owned and purely for profit. Our nation is controlled by money and we are left allowing our fellow citizens to struggle. The U.S. needs a Health Care System that benefits the people and without change this will never happen. The French Healthcare System is ranked the best in the entire world (Taylor, 2011) Frances programs protect and support their citizens. In France your income level, age, and social status dont affect where you stand with health care. Everyone is equal. The program is paid by employees, employers, self employed, and government funding. Depending on the

Health Care Systems 3 situation you still might find yourself paying flat fees, but are often reimbursed for the services. This program promotes long term secure health for their citizens. But are the French satisfied with their Health Care? Harris Interactive and other studies of consumer perceptions have consistently reported high rates of satisfaction among the French among the highest in the European Union and certainly higher than in the United States (Rodwin, 2009). It seems the Frenchs program has found success and should be used as a guide to the U.S. to improve our Health Care Status now. Although France has the highest quality of healthcare you can receive from a country it doesnt mean its perfect. The program itself still contains flukes. Just like in the U.S. many of the doctors are private practices. The French have a National Insurance not National Health Care. In fact France obtains the largest Private hospital in Europe. These practices offer increasingly higher fees to retain profit, which is a disadvantage to the country. The French dont understand why Americans cannot comply with change; maybe our Health Care hasnt evolved due to Americans fear of change. French life support the National Health Service and have difficulty understanding why some people in the USA imagine that an obligatory health insurance scheme for all could be a bad thing. (About-France.com, 2014) Even with the flaws in Frances Health Care System its still the best in the world, which means we should take it to our advantage and discover new ways to improve then program. Taking place this year (2014) the Affordable Health Care Act will stand as an attempt to save our Health Care. The program is enforced to be adopted by everyone. The government will appoint penalties appearing on fees on taxes for those who dont participate. The plan that America is standing by is different from what Obama had originally introduced. This plan is trail of appointing the entire nation onto an insurance plan. If the plan does succeed well all be

Health Care Systems 4 supporting one another. This could potentially better our system, but is it enough? The program hasnt been an instant glory, but with participation and cooperation the country can learn and with time grow together. The Affordable Health Care Act is a beginning to the change America! Hopefully the U.S. will grow onto new ideas and opportunities, but this is only a start. America is ranked #36 in Health Care as France is on top at #1. The U.S. has chosen money over citizens and if we ever hope to create a better Health Care System its the people who need to be considered. The People need security. Thats what will put together a working Health Care System in The U.S. France is known to be proud holders of the best health care system in the world therefore we should use them as an example to improve our own. But there hasnt been a perfect program yet, but it isnt about being perfect. Its about reducing funds spent on Health Care and making it an option for our citizens. Change is possible.

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References Garson, Jr. (2010). The U.S. Healthcare System, CrossMark. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/101/16/2015.full Taylor, Adam (2012). Yes, The U.S. could probably learn a lot from the French Health Care System, Business Insider, http://www.businessinsider.com/french-healthcare-system-2012-7 N/A (2014) The French Health Care System, About France, http://about-france.com/health-care.htm Underwood, Ann (2009) Health Care: Aboard France, Prescriptions, http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/health-care-abroad-france/