While the video “Sick around the World” predates the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Consider how does the healthcare system of the United States compare and contrast to those presented in the Video.
The healthcare system compares to those presented in the video in several ways. It can be noted that a country such as the United Kingdom has adopted a “pay-for-performance” approach to improving healthcare service provision. Mendelson et al. (2017) indicate that the health system adopts a ‘pay-for-performance’ approach that is designed to promoting quality, efficiency, and overall value. That shows that the system is somewhat similar to that of the U.K. On the other hand, it can also be noted that the system adopted in the United States is distinct when compared to that of Japan. In Japan, every person is expected to buy health insurance with insurance providers obligated to provide health cover irrespective of one’s health (PBS, 2008). In the United States, health insurance is not mandatory with insurance providers rejecting some of the applications based on preexisting conditions (Obama, 2016).
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Consider the recommendations presented by Rice and Unruh for Ten Lessons on the Role of Government in Healthcare Systems. How does healthcare in the United States address these recommendations or not?
The United States government addresses the recommendations presented by Rice and Unruh for Ten Lessons on the Role of Government in Healthcare Systems by advancing two main areas of health care. The first area that the government has taken into significant consideration is the affordability of care (Kane, 2012). The federal government in the United States has been at the forefront in the adoption of health policies that seek to streamline the cost of healthcare in the country as a way of increasing affordability (Mendelson et al., 2017). However, the government finds itself as a disadvantage attributed to the rising costs of care that affect persons without health insurance (Stebbins, 2015). The second area of consideration is the quality of care (National Center for Health Statistics, 2017). The government has been at the forefront in finding new ways through which to capitalize on improved quality of care (OECD, 2018; OECD, 2020). The basic idea has been on ensuring that patients receive value for the healthcare services that they seek.
References
Kane, J. (2012). Health costs: How the U.S. compares with other countries. NewsHour Productions LLC . https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries
Mendelson, A., Kondo, K., Damberg, C., Low, A., Motúapuaka, M., Freeman, M. ... & Kansagara, D. (2017). The effects of pay-for-performance programs on health, health care use, and processes of care: a systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine , 166 (5), 341-353. 10.7326/M16-1881
National Center for Health Statistics. (2017). Health, United States, 2016: With chartbook on long-term trends in health . Hyattsville, MD: DHHS Publication.
Obama, B. (2016). United States health care reform: Progress to date and next steps. JAMA , 316 (5), 525-532. 10.1001/jama.2016.9797
OECD. (2018). Spending on health: Latest trends . http://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/Health-Spending-Latest-Trends-Brief.pdf
OECD. (2020). Health at a Glance 2019 . https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/health-at-a-glance-2019_4dd50c09-en;jsessionid=ly-jnvkdDVH3CS2MCnrOCNXT.ip-10-240-5-84
PBS. (2008). Sick around the world. NewsHour Productions LLC . https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/etc/synopsis.html
Stebbins, S. (2015). Countries Spending the Most on Health Care. Wall St . https://247wallst.com/special-report/2015/11/06/countries-spending-the-most-on-health-care-2/print/
Module Seven Discussion
Explain the differences between fixed and variable costs. Include a discussion of the relevant range.
Fixed and variable costs are the two main costs that a company is likely to have when engaging in the process of goods production. Fixed costs remain the same irrespective of the number of goods that the company produces while variable costs often vary depending on the number of goods produced.
Explain the difference between direct and indirect costs.
Direct costs refer to costs that can be traced to specific cost objects utilized as a part of the production process (Revere et al., 2016). For example, the cost of raw materials can be quantified as a direct cost, as it can be traced specifically. However, indirect costs refer to costs that cannot be traced specifically in the production process but equally affect the cost of the products in question.
What is the goal of cost allocation?
The main goal of cost allocation is to assign several cost objects to predict the economic effects associated with planning and control decisions that directly affect the products (Revere et al., 2016). Cost allocation is of great value in justifying costs for pricing of products while in the market.
Who are price takers in the healthcare market?
In the healthcare market, patients can be considered as price takers. That can be attributed to the fact that patients can only buy healthcare products based on the prevailing market price (Riley, Coult, & Love, 2019). Patients do not have the authority allowing them to change the price margins for different products or services offered in the market.
Who are price setters?
Price setters, on the other hand, are pharmaceutical companies and health facilities that define the mark-up price for their products and services, respectively (Riley, Coult, & Love, 2019). As price setters, these companies and facilities can take advantage of prevailing market dynamics as part of advancing their profit margins significantly.
How does the patient relate to cost takers and cost setters?
The patient relates to cost takers and cost setters, considering that he/she is expected to receive the healthcare products or services offered. In that case, the patient often finds him/herself facing a challenge in trying to determine the overall healthcare costs, as cost setters only take advantage of the market dynamics to determine overall cost margins (Revere et al., 2016).
References
Revere, L. F., Delgado, R. I., Donderici, E. Y., Krause, T. M. & Swartz, M. D. (2016). Price transparency and healthcare cost: An evaluation of commercial price variation for obstetrical services. Journal of Health Care Finance , 43 (3). https://healthfinancejournal.com/index.php/johcf/article/view/71
Riley, W. J., Coult, N. M., & Love, K. (2019). An analysis of price gouging in the US healthcare system. Journal of Hospital Administration , 8 (6). http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/jha.v8n6p7
Module Eight Discussion
Discuss why it is important for an organization to have a comprehensive budget.
Organizations need to have a comprehensive budget, as it allows them to take into account all aspects associated with financial life. By having a detailed budget, it becomes much easier for organizations to project recurring and nonrecurring incomes and expenses (Ross, 2018). The implication that this would have is that it advances their capacity to avoid instances where the set budget does not match the ultimate amount of money used.
What is the role of the nurse leader in the budgeting process?
The role of a nurse leader in the budgeting process is to ensure that each aspect associated with the functions of a nurse is taken into account during the process. In most cases, this would involve having to make sure that the management budgets for every item that nurses are expected to use as part of their health service delivery process (Ibrahim, 2019). The nurse leader is basically involved in ensuring that the budget accounts for the needs and wants of the nurses as part of their involvement in the system.
How is the nurse leader prepared to understand the costs and revenue associated with the delivery of healthcare? What information must the nurse leader have to effectively evaluate the budget?
The nurse leader is prepared to understand both cost and revenue through engagement with nurses working in different departments. The nurses provide the leader with a clear understanding of the specific items that they are using as part of their health service delivery processes. It serves as a guarantee that the nurse leader will be sure to include each of these items as part of the overall costs in the budgeting process (Ibrahim, 2019). The main information that the nurse leader must have involves how nurses in the different departments operate, which would determine the cost dynamics for each department.
Discuss the value of Zero-Based Budgeting approach.
The value of the Zero-Based Budgeting approach can be seen from the fact that it allows those involved in the budgeting process to consider how each dollar is spent (Ibrahim, 2019). In other words, this means that the Zero-Based Budgeting approach establishes a new front through which to ensure that the budgeting process is effective depending on overall expectations in terms of budget expenditure while taking into account income expectations.
References
Ibrahim, M. M. (2019). Designing zero-based budgeting for public organizations. Problems and Perspectives in Management , 17 (2), 323-333. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.17 (2).2019.25
Ross, T. K. (2018). A Comprehensive Guide to Budgeting for Health Care Managers . Jones & Bartlett Learning.
