Healthcare reform constitutes one of the drivers of change for public health informatics that commend better care for everyone. The reform policy helps to make coverage more affordable either through public health sector or private sector insurance companies. It is needed based on the idea that when the cost of health care is so high, it averts many low income earners from getting healthcare services, hence, the benefit of expanding coverage outweighs the costs for adding services.
The article healthcare reform around the world by Chang et al (2008 ) , states that all countries have their own healthcare systems that are sub-systems of major care system, where each structure is based on combination of financial sources and the payment scheme. All these models of the main system have their own objectives that are achieved at minimum cost. The reform is critically driven by rapid aging of population marched with declining birthrates and decreasing tax base which have escalated healthcare costs at much faster pace ( Chang et al., 2008 ) . In addition, the reason for reform is the technological burden on healthcare as a result of proliferation of cost in medical technology. For that matter, the reform is needed to improve quality, access and to control cost.
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Health reforms are classified in two types according to the number of commentators which include: Evolutionary and structural reform. The former policy focuses on equity, which is the extent to which coverage is made easily accessible to most of the population without discrimination ( Chang et al., 2008) . Equity is evolutionary because it enhances expansion in geographical coverage through criteria called population based formulas ( Chang et al., 2008 ) . Further, this reform focuses on cost containment, which is the key concept of insurance where most systems are designed to contain cost schemes for paying the hospital and payment for healthcare providers. Additionally, evolutionary reforms emphasize on micro efficiency that is an incentive to encourage hospital effectiveness and reduce waiting list problems. Another type of reform is structural alteration which is more radical change of evolutionary transformation ( Chang et al., 2008 ) . For example, most countries have achieved increase in productivity and at the same time cost reduction through structural reforms.
As a healthcare professional, the ethic concern that has engaged my mind is the idea of expanding health coverage termed as universal health coverage (UHC) through the private market ( Wolf, 2009) . This would mean better providence of insurance services which guarantee coverage for those with preexisting condition, and Medicaid expansion that leads to reduction in the percentage of people who lack health insurance.
In conclusion, it is apparent that health reforms are a very fundamental concept in ensuring efficiency and increased coverage to most people. The use of evolutionary reform will not only lead to effectiveness in the health sector but also reduce cases of uninsured people in the country. Consequently, the health reforms should be implemented as fast as possible to ensure optimum healthcare benefits for all citizens.
References
Chang, C. C., Bank, J. D., & Miike, L. (2008). Health Care Reform around the World. Greenwood publishing group. Retrieved from https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/soreskovic/files/rsa98v24n249cs.pdf
Wolf, S. M. (2009). Health care reform and the future of physician ethics. Hastings Center Report , 24 (2), 28-41.
