Government plays a central role in covering health care needs
In most other countries in the world, government plays a central role in covering health care needs; however, in the United States, the private sector (in the form of employer-sponsored health insurance) serves as the dominant form of medical coverage. For this assignment, discuss the following:
Describe and discuss some of the ethical concerns or problems that exist because of the dominant form of employer-sponsored health insurance.
Discuss reform actions that the U.S. government has taken to reduce the ethical concerns or problems that you discussed.
Define the ethical principle of justice, and discuss its role in the U.S. health care system.
- ob lock: Employer-sponsored health insurance is tied to employment, which can discourage people from changing jobs, even if they are unhappy in their current job or have a better opportunity elsewhere. This can lead to people staying in jobs that they don't like or that are not a good fit for them, which can have a negative impact on their personal and professional lives.
- Inequity: Employer-sponsored health insurance is not evenly distributed throughout the population. People who work for large employers are more likely to have access to employer-sponsored health insurance than people who work for small employers or who are self-employed. This can lead to inequities in access to health care, as people who have employer-sponsored health insurance are more likely to receive preventive care and treatment for chronic conditions than people who do not have employer-sponsored health insurance.
- Preexisting conditions: Many employer-sponsored health insurance plans have restrictions on coverage for people with preexisting conditions. This means that people who have a preexisting condition may have to pay higher premiums or may not be able to get coverage at all. This can make it difficult for people with preexisting conditions to get the health care they need.
- Cost-shifting: The high cost of employer-sponsored health insurance can lead to cost-shifting, which is when employers pass on the cost of health insurance to their employees in the form of lower wages or higher prices for goods and services. This can make it difficult for people to afford health care, even if they have employer-sponsored health insurance.