Morganne Leonard Morganne Leonard  1:33pmOct 24 at 1:33pm Discussion Thread: Maj

Morganne Leonard
Morganne Leonard 
1:33pmOct 24 at 1:33pm
Discussion Thread: Major Characteristics of U.S. Healthcare Delivery
           The two main objectives of the U.S. health delivery system are to address certain populations’ health needs and provide cost-effective healthcare that is aligned with quality standards (Shi and Singh, 2022). The ten characteristics of the U.S. healthcare system include no central governing agency and little integration and coordination, a technology-driven delivery system focusing on acute care, high cost, unequal access, and average outcome, delivery of health care under imperfect market conditions, government as a subsidiary to the private sector, a fusion of market justice and social justice, multiple players and balance of power, the quest for integration and accountability, access to health care services selectively based on insurance coverage, and legal risks influencing practice behaviors (Shi and Singh, 2022). Through a thorough analysis of the two characteristics of the U.S. health delivery system concerning access to health care services selectively based on insurance coverage, and the lack of a central governing agency and little integration and coordination, conclusions will be reached about similarities and differences between these characteristics as compared to the developed country of Germany’s health care delivery system.
           When it comes to the characteristic of the U.S. health delivery system that access to health care services is selectively based upon insurance coverage, Germany starkly contrasts. Germany’s healthcare system provides universal access to healthcare for all German citizens and is not selectively based on an individual’s level of insurance coverage (Gleason et al., 2012). Purposed to provide citizens with equitable access to care, healthcare organizations are steered away from a posture of profit maximization, instead seeking to ensure universal benefits for all (Gleason et al., 2012). Alternatively, the U.S. health delivery system does not guarantee healthcare services for those with limited resources and no insurance coverage and may only receive care by paying out of pocket or seeking care from safety net providers or hospital emergency departments (Shi and Singh, 2022).
           Further, the U.S. healthcare system lacks a central controller that commands the financing, payment, and delivery of services to patients (Shi and Singh, 2022). The financing of the U.S. healthcare system relies on both public and private sources, resulting in variations in the payment and delivery of services to patients (Shi and Singh, 2022). Similarly, while the federal government of Germany is required to provide social services such as healthcare to its citizens, it is not tasked with control and delegates this requirement to state governments and institutions (Döring and Paul, 2010). These institutions may include health insurance companies or physicians within statutory health insurance associations, for instance (Döring and Paul, 2010).
           The comparison between the U.S. and German healthcare delivery systems reflects a broader principle addressed within the scriptures of caring for the vulnerable, sick, and marginalized. Matthew 25:35-36 demonstrates the commandment for Christians to care for those in need, stating “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me (ESV)”. This scripture is directly relevant to individuals in their personal lives, and practitioners of health care administration, providing direction in how we are to proceed in our treatment of our community members, neighbors, and as practitioners, patients. Although resources are limited in the U.S. for individuals who lack the ability to afford care, placing emphasis on making referrals to safety net providers available to underserved populations and using our best efforts in assisting individuals to the best of our ability is a direct reflection of our obedience to God’s law.
References
Döring, A., & Paul, F. (2010). The German Healthcare System. The EPMA journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3405354/ Links to an external site.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/Links to an external site.
Gleason, S., Ridic, G., & Ridic, O. (2012). Comparisons of Health Care Systems in the United States, Germany and Canada. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633404/ Links to an external site.
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2022). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books/about/Essentials_of_the_U_S_Health_Care_System.html?id=ac90EAAAQBAJ Links to an external site.