US Healthcare System: Components, Factors Affecting, and Characteristics
The rapid change in pace of today’s health system to improve patient experiences and effectiveness of medicine is overwhelming for those who provide aid to public and private populations. The challenges of new value-based reimbursement models and providing more integrated care, creates new hurdles for health care management teams to overcome. New populations and new communities require transformation to emphasize vulnerable populations, the integration of technology to prevent care gaps, and creating a multi-provider delivery system.
The two main objectives of the U.S. health care delivery system are to (1) Enable all citizens to access health care services and (2) Provide services that are cost effective and meet established standards of quality.
The four key components of the health care delivery are (1) Financing (2) The care team (3) Insurance (4) The payment.
Case Assignment
After completing the required readings, you should have a basic understanding of the characteristics and components of the United States health care delivery system. Understanding how the health care system works and evolves provides health care administrators and leadership with awareness of the position of their organization and facilitates compliance with health regulations.
- Discuss in detail each component of the U.S. delivery system, its function, and how it supports the delivery of care.
- Describe three external forces that affect health care delivery.
- Discuss and expound on five characteristics of the United States health care delivery system that differentiate the U.S. from other countries.
- View the National Health Security Preparedness Index for your state. You may access the health care delivery tab by 1) Selecting the link below 2) Selecting “By State” at the bottom of the page 3) Select 2019 4) Select the state in which you reside 5) Scroll down and select health care delivery. Describe if your state's overall score is: 1. Above national average 2. Meets national average 3. Below national average in accordance with the key noted. Discuss three areas under the health care delivery tab that need improvement and provide suggestive remediation efforts to improve each.
- Length: Submit a 3- to 4-page paper, not including the cover page and the reference list.
Nation's ability to manage health emergencies rises. National Health Security Preparedness Index. (2020). https://nhspi.org
Assignment Expectations
Assessment and Grading: Your paper will be assessed based on the performance assessment rubric. You can view it under Assessments at the top of the page. Review it before you begin working on the assignment. Your work should also follow these Assignment Expectations.
BHS 450: United States Healthcare System
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Course Name and Number
Due Date
BHS 450: United States Healthcare System The United States system combines independently working components loosely coordinated throughout the nation (Shi & Singh, 2019). As a result, this paper seeks to investigate the diverse segments of the U.S. delivery system, the external forces affecting them, and various characteristics that distinguish the United States healthcare delivery. Component of the U.S. Delivery System, Functions, and Support to Care Financing represents one of the primary components of the healthcare system in the U.S. Shi and Singh (2019) state that it is critical for facilitating insurance and payment of other services in the system. The government is also a leading financier in public programs (Shi & Singh, 2019). This component avails the funds necessary for facilitating care delivery and other fundamental healthcare activities. The second component of the healthcare system is insurance, whose central function is to protect the individuals insured from an unforeseen financial crisis when faced with healthcare-related costs. Insurance is an influential aspect of healthcare because it determines the level of care through the various packages, which translates to specific services covered under an insurance cover (Shi & Singh, 2019). Thus, it dictates the place and mechanism of the care services. As a result, it influences the facility’s services to a patient. The delivery component is the crux of the healthcare system because it represents the provision of care services by physicians and other practitioners. It may comprise independently operating entities that determine their billing for the services or tax-supported ones (Shi & Singh, 2019). They might include dentists, nurses, physicians, and optometrists in healthcare facilities. Their support in the system is far-reaching because they render the services paid for through different financing methods. The last component of the healthcare system in the U.S. is payment, with a central function of reimbursing healthcare providers as remuneration for the services they deliver. The amount paid for the services arises from estimation by the insurer, while the funds they use comprise the insurance firm premiums (Shi & Singh, 2019). Other payments include the out-of-pocket consultation fees by the patients. The insurance supports by paying for other additional services. Three External Forces affecting Health Care Delivery Shi and Singh (2019) consider the general economy of the U.S. as a fundamental influence on the quality of care Americans receive. For instance, the authors indicate that the economy determines the overall capability of the financiers like the federal and state government to support healthcare institutions with sufficient funding for running routine activities. It also influences the ability of individuals to meet their insurance premiums, which is critical for driving healthcare operations. As a result, the economy is an influential external force in U.S. healthcare delivery. The political climate closely follows the economy because it significantly determines the stability of the healthcare system. According to Shi and Singh (2019), the political forces comprise the president, representatives, and Congress, responsible for formulating policies, interest groups, and the associated laws and regulations. The impact of these elements in healthcare delivery is critical because it determines the success or failure of the entire system. For instance, the president’s goodwill influences the emergence of supportive policies such as Medicare, championed and strengthened by state heads. Congress also makes policy adjustments to improve the current healthcare atmosphere, leading to improvements. Trends reveal that no system can afford to ignore technological developments because of their effect on routine care services. In this context, biotechnological advancements have remained pivotal in the gradual adjustment of U.S. healthcare practices (Shi & Singh, 2019). The practitioners are constantly embracing emerging and more advanced strategies of caring for their patients, exerting pressure on the administration for change. They have also continuously em...