Gaps in the healthcare system

When it comes to“developed” countries, America arguably has the worst of healthcare systems. Some might argue that it is based on the fact that many Americans have trouble affording healthcare. This notion would make sense considering America spends more money than any other developed country in health care services. Stemming from innovative drugs to imaging scans. Most countries use some type of rate-setting: the government sets specific prices for medical services that any hospital and doctor can charge. For this reason healthcare is simpler. These hospitals know that there is only one price for such surgeries like knee replacement or a kidney transplant. Yet, due to all of the behind the scenes negotiations between hospitals and insurance companies in the United States, there will continuously be many discrepancies in healthcare prices. The institute of Medicine defines equity as “providing care that does not vary in quality because personal characteristics” like income or location. The United States does not do a very good job of this. There are big differences in how Americans with different incomes use the health-care system. Lower income Americans are more likely to skip around their recommended care. Like other measures, this reflects the high costs and insurance gaps of the American System.