The development of the health care system is one of the priorities of the US government. In 2016, America's spending in this direction amounted to $ 3.3 trillion, which per person amounted to $ 10,348 - significantly higher than the costs of other developed countries. And if you analyze the market of today's American pharmacology, you can see that half of all medicinal products created recently are in the United States. But here it is important to make a remark - many doctors and scientists who have succeeded in this matter in America are not always Americans. This country attracts the best foreigners to study and work thanks to numerous programs, grants, as well as salaries, the level of which significantly exceeds the salaries of doctors from other countries.
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Features of the US healthcare system
American medicine is perfect for those for whom comfortable interaction between the patient and the doctor is in the first place - the country occupies a leading position in the world in terms of confidentiality and respect for patients, as well as in the timely provision of care and satisfaction of patients' needs. In addition, American medicine has a well-functioning system of quality control of services - here the patient's rights and his relationship with the doctor are constantly monitored. If it happens that the doctor is mistaken, then the person undergoing treatment is immediately provided with the services of special lawyers who will help to achieve large material compensation.
Advantages and disadvantages
But an intensified concentration on legal aspects does not always allow to develop the necessary areas to the proper extent, therefore, for the last ten years, the United States has consistently been only in the third ten participants in the world ranking in terms of the level of medical care and the general level of health of the nation. However, a rather harmful food system for many people living in America is already strongly interfering here, significantly affecting the state of people. But American medicine has such qualities as stability and quick response in changing conditions. As you know, America has lost a lot of people in the coronavirus pandemic, however, it is this country that remains the flagship in creating the latest effective medical developments to combat this virus.
Types of health insurance
In the United States, mostly private health care organizations operate, and the share of the state is only 20%. The country has several options for how health insurance is issued:
- self purchase
- if a person works officially, then some of the costs are covered by the state
- the state fully assumes the payment of the insurance policy (pensioners, people with low income, children, etc.)
- an option when the employer is responsible for paying for the insurance policy, in whole or in part.
In the United States, you can purchase two options for health insurance: the first is HMO (Health maintenance organizations) with a low cost, but this option provides treatment only in certain healthcare organizations of a single network and only from one therapist, who decides on the need and possibility of visiting the patient to others specialists. Without insurance, an appointment with a specialist costs about $ 150, but on average, even with a medical policy, you still have to pay an additional $ 50 to $ 100, because insurance in the United States does not cover 100% of a patient's treatment.
In cases of emergency, an ambulance in other hospitals will still be provided to the victim with HMO insurance. The lower limit for the minimum coverage is approximately $ 160 per month. By the way, you also need to know that in the United States the fine for not having an insurance policy is about $ 100 per year.
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The second option for medical insurance in the United States is PPO (Preferred provider organizations), it will cost more, but in this case, you can use services on favorable terms in a certain health care network. Such insurance guarantees a free and independent visit to the right specialist. PPO implies special tariffs that depend on the amount of compensation for services:
- Platinum - insurance premium 90%
- Gold - insurance premium 80%
- Silver - insurance premium 70%
- Bronze - insurance premium 60%
- Minimum - emergencies, persons only under 30 years of age or with a difficult financial situation.
But even with the option of expensive insurance (its cost will depend on income, region and the chosen insurance plan in the range of $ 150-300), you usually have to pay separately for all services related to dentistry, ophthalmology and mental health care, because the services are quite expensive. The cost of one filling without removing the nerve and additional manipulations will cost $ 250. As for traditional examinations, a series of general tests and check-ups will cost $ 700, while a person pays about $ 250 under insurance. The cost of operations starts at $ 25,000, while with insurance it will be $ 2,500.
Therefore, most American medical experts advise: it is better to live in the United States either with insurance or not. You also need to know that in America, medicines can only be bought with a prescription, even a simple antipyretic or headache medicine, and for this you will need to go to the doctor's office.
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Among the most demanded hospitals in the country is the Mayo Rocheste Clinic in Minnesota - it is recognized as the best both in the United States and around the world. Two employees of this hospital, Edward Kendall and Philip Hench, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 1950 for their discovery of cortisone. It conducts cancer research, heart and lung surgery, laboratory methods, etc. Over 50,000 patients pass through it annually, and at least 70,000 people are in the first aid department every year.
The leading areas in the country's second most popular clinic, the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, are gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, kidney disease and rheumatology. Also in high demand among patients, The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the world's largest hospital in terms of the number of employees. It was in this clinic that the foundation of the modern approach to treatment in the United States was laid, the national health care system developed here and hundreds of modern diagnostic and treatment methods were discovered in more than 40 specialties.
