The cost of healthcare in the United States is among the highest in the developed world. Many Americans are unable to meet this cost. To ensure that the high cost of care does not bar its citizens from accessing medical services, the American government has developed an insurance program. Referred to as Medicare, this program primarily targets elderly Americans and provides them with the assurance that their medical needs will be attended to (Rogers et al., 2015). In this paper, focus is given to Medicare and other health insurance options available to the American people.
Medicare and qualifications
As mentioned above, Medicare is a health insurance program provided by the American government. In addition to elderly Americans who are at least 65 years old, the program also covers younger individuals who are disabled. Patients suffering from end-stage renal disease are the other group that the program covers (Skelton et al., 2015). Medicare covers a number of healthcare costs. The costs that patients incur while confined to hospital beds and those incurred for outpatient care are some of those that the program covers. For the most part, Medicare is administered by the federal government. However, there are cases where the government partners with private insurers to deliver medical coverage. Medicare also covers the cost of prescription drugs. It should be noted that the particular costs that Medicare covers vary from one person to another.
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Not all Americans are covered under Medicare. There are some qualifications that an individual must meet before they are covered. Any American who attains the age of 65 qualifies for the program. However, it is still possible for those below this age to qualify for coverage. Americans with disabilities are among those who qualify. However, it must be noted that disability does not necessarily guarantee qualification. In addition to being disabled, it is required that an individual must have been receiving social security disability insurance (SSDI) for at least 24 months (Rogers et al., 2015). Ailing from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is another issue that qualifies one for Medicare. When it is discovered that one is ailing from this condition, the requirement that they must have been receiving SSDI for at least 24 months is waived and they automatically qualify for coverage (Oberman & Lyon, 2015). Americans who are suffering from end-stage renal disease are also eligible for Medicare coverage.
Insurance options for long-term care
Medicare covers millions of Americans. However, it also leaves out millions more. This raises the question of the insurance options available to the Americans not covered under Medicare. Employer-based insurance programs are among these options (Cornell et al., 2015). It is common for employers to provide their employees with insurance coverage. The employer works with the employees by making regular contributions to a pool that is then used to pay out any claims for medical expenses. While these insurance arrangements have lessened the burden shouldered by American workers, many do not offer coverage for long-term care. In the event that an individual’s employer has not established a program for medical cover, there are options available in the insurance marketplace. There are many private insurance companies that promise coverage for long-term care (Cornell et al., 2015). This option is rather costly as an individual has to pay huge premiums and the insurance policy has no surrender value. This means that should an individual not require care, they do not receive a refund of their premiums. From the discussion so far, it is clear that such public social programs as Medicare are the most effective and affordable. They allow millions of Americans to rest assured that their medical costs are covered.
In conclusion, health insurance is an important matter for Americans. Many desire to be covered but lack the financial muscle needed to purchase insurance. The American government has responded to the need for affordable insurance by developing Medicare. This program targets the elderly and individuals with disabilities. It has allowed millions of Americans to receive medical services. Americans who do not qualify for Medicare coverage need not worry. There are a number of other health insurance options. However, these options are very costly. There is need for the American government to continue working with the private sector to bring down the cost of healthcare and insurance.
References
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Underwriting in Long-Term Care Insurance: Market Conditions Limit Options for
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Oberman, M. & Lyon, M. (2015). Financial Cost of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case
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Rogers, A. R., Lai, S., Keighley, J. & Jungk, J. (2015). The Incidence of Breast Cancer among
Disabled Kansans with Medicare. Kansas Journal of Medicine, 8 (3), 93-100.
Skelton, S. L., Waterman, A. D., Davis, L. A., Peipert, J. D. & Fish, A. F. (2015). Applying Best
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