PASSAGE 1: Government-Funded Healthcare
By Diane Tew
There are many countries that have publicly-funded healthcare systems. Some countries have social insurance—it is funded by taxpayers and covers most costs.
Government-funded healthcare (or what is known as “a publicly-funded healthcare system”) is a form of healthcare financing created to apply the costs of civic healthcare needs from publicly handled funds. In most countries, the government directly controls the fund in which the benefits are allotted among the population. There are different approaches to where the funds come from. This could be through major government revenues (such as in Canada) or through the government’s social security system (like in Australia, Belgium, France, Japan, and Germany).
The Canadian healthcare system is a body of socialized health insurance plans that is intended to provide health coverage to all its citizens. This means that the National Healthcare System covers every Canadian citizen, regardless of background or age.
The system covers different aspects of healthcare wherein all citizens are covered up to the same level. It also provides accessibility to all healthcare facilities and physicians. All attending health workers are also covered with justifiable compensation for the services they are providing.
Having a government-funded healthcare system offers beneficial and favorable aspects of quality healthcare for everyone. Essentially, it would improve the basic system by offering balanced, quality healthcare for everybody. To be fair, it would cost taxpayers a good deal of money to enact this system in the United States, but should we really put a price on health?
The biggest issue for the average person is being able to afford health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenditures, co-payments, and prescriptions. It can be incredibly hard. It has become a big deal just to afford to go to a doctor’s office for a check-up, never mind having to deal with the immense costs of emergency room visits, hospital stays, or dealing with chronic ailments.
Another advantage is that it regulates insurance companies. Insurance companies tend to overcharge policyholders, deny coverage for chronic conditions, increase premiums, and refuse customers with pre-existing medical conditions. A government-subsidized plan would force insurance companies to be liable for these transgressions, while ensuring healthcare for everyone—including children, seniors, and people with pre-existing conditions.
A government-funded healthcare system also eliminates competition among healthcare providers because there is only one primary healthcare organization. This eliminates the disposal of multiple claims, allocations for insurance forms, mediating contracts, and going through the process of understanding insurance regulations. This would grant more time for medical experts to focus on the treatment of their patients instead of concentrating on irrelevant structures of insurance methods—which only benefits the insurance companies.
Granting access to a unified healthcare system would be beneficial to everyone, regardless of their economic background.
PASSAGE 2: Private Healthcare
By Ella White
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is also called the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was passed as a law in 2010 and signed by President Obama. Along with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act amendment, it changed the US healthcare system. Significant changes like these had not been seen since 1965 when Medicare and Medicaid were introduced.
When considering private healthcare, there are important points to think about. The first thing to think about when getting private health insurance coverage is to consider what you can afford and sustain every month. Government-funded insurance will reduce the expense somewhat, while private healthcare is likely to be quite high.
Private healthcare is healthcare administered by medical management companies other than the government. Private health insurance usually covers hospitalization, universal treatment and medical procedures, and ambulance coverage. Ambulance coverage may be autonomously unrestricted if it is incorporated with other alternative policies or is enclosed in the state laws.
A large percentage of the US population has private health insurance. This can be quite a considerable monthly expenditure, but it has superiority over universal health insurance. Dependent children, teens, and adults are covered in private healthcare policies.
One of the best advantages of having private health coverage includes being able to choose your own doctor. This works well for patients who want to have the same physician all the time. In addition, if specialists are needed, your primary doctor will easily refer you.
Another advantage is the shorter waiting time for non-life-threatening situations. If a patient is having a surgery that is not life-threatening, there is no need to wait for medical facilities to be unoccupied. Customarily, doctors will schedule procedures as soon as possible.
Most private health insurance service providers also cover health conditions that are excluded in coverages such as Medicare or Medicaid. Additional medical services (such as dental, chiropractic, and optical) are among other health concerns covered by the private sector. If you are using any of those services and need assistance with the costs, extra coverage is the only way to go about that.
Private health insurance coverage is also fast and reliable with services such as access to doctor appointments, treatments, and diagnostic exams. To schedule such services, simply give the medical office a call to receive a specific appointment date.
Private healthcare providers also frequently have newer facilities. Since the public system is subsidized by government funds, they typically do not have access to as much funds as the private health providers. Public- or government-funded medical facilities are usually congested and fall short on certain convenient amenities. On the contrary, private healthcare facilities are usually spotless, well maintained, and in pristine condition, including private wards and bathrooms. Other conveniences (like phones, TVs, Internet, and Wi-Fi) are also offered.
What central idea can be found in BOTH Passage 1 and Passage 2? Use at least ONE detail from EACH text to support your answer. Write your answer in the space provided. Remember to clearly reference the text.
Both Passage 1 and Passage 2 discuss the advantages and benefits of healthcare systems, whether it is government-funded or private.
In Passage 1, it states, "Having a government-funded healthcare system offers beneficial and favorable aspects of quality healthcare for everyone." This suggests that a central idea in Passage 1 is the positive aspects of government-funded healthcare.
In Passage 2, it mentions that one of the advantages of private health coverage is being able to choose your own doctor, stating, "One of the best advantages of having private health coverage includes being able to choose your own doctor." This indicates that a central idea in Passage 2 is the freedom of choice in private healthcare.
Therefore, the central idea that can be found in both passages is the benefits and advantages of different healthcare systems, whether it is government-funded or private.