In Sick Around the World, FRONTLINE teams up with veteran Washington Post foreign correspondent T.R. Reid to find out how five other capitalist democracies -- the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland -- deliver health care, and what the United States might learn from their successes and their failures.
There are about 200 countries on our planet, and each country devises its own set of arrangements for meeting the three basic goals of a health care system: keeping people healthy, treating the sick, and protecting families against financial ruin from medical bills.
But we don't have to study 200 different systems to get a picture of how other countries manage health care. For all the local variations, health care systems tend to follow general patterns. There are four basic systems:
What are some of the main features of the healthcare systems in:
UK
Japan
Germany
Taiwan
Switzerland
Sick Around America
"Sick Around America" is a documentary that puts a face on the statistics about the uninsured in the USA. This documentary shows real people who represent the problems of the uninsured and the impact it has on health and the healthcare system. This show can be watched online at Frontline PBS.
Watch the video and answer the following:
1: Example of excellent insurance coverage-the Murray family- why are they so lucky?
2: Examples of job loss= loss of insurance. There are 3 stories/examples -how does loss of insurance affect each person shown in the story.
What is medical underwriting? How is it good for business but not so good for the consumer?
3: Example of Rescission: explain rescission, how it impacts the consumer. Why do insurance companies rescind policies?
4: Nikki White_ example of healthcare not investing in wellness and prevention but will pay for expensive late care treatment. Explain...
5: Massachusetts: the state that mandated health insurance. How does the system work? (mahealthconnector.org)
What are some benefits?
What are some of the criticisms?
Prescription Medicines: "The Other Drug War" HE 362W Contemporary Health
Understanding USA Healthcare System
Frontline Website
1. Why are people in the USA going to Canada to buy prescription medicines?
2. What can state and federal governments take to keep drug prices down? Why are state governments interested in keeping prescription prices lower?
3. Name 3 main arguments the pharmaceutical companies use to justify their high prices on drugs. How much percentage do pharmaceutical companies spend on R&D (research and development) and how much (percentage) do these same companies spend on advertising?
4. What steps has PHARMA taken to stop states from influencing/controlling drug prices?
5. What were the two options the federal government had in writing the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA)? Which version did PHARMA support? Which form actually passed in December 2003?
6. What is the Oregon Preferred Drug List and how does it work?
Understanding USA Healthcare System Contemporary Health HE362W
Information Sources
High Price of Health
After watching the video - "High Price of Health" answer the following questions:
1. What does Malik Hasan M.D., CEO of Foundation Health Systems say about making healthcare more "efficient" ?
2. What are the doctor's concerns about the new reality of insurance companies dictating what services they will or will not pay for?
3. What is some of the impact on healthcare to patients as the result of this cost cutting?
Writing Assignment: Is the business model (efficiency, assembly line model, profit motive) the best model to use for delivering medical services? Explain using examples.