Lesson 28: An Exploration of Global Healthcare Coverage
Attention
Is the government in the health care business? Should it be?
(The logo above is a link to the national Healthcare Marketplace website)
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- Compare and contrast the US healthcare insurance system with healthcare systems in other parts of the world
Teaching
While there is little doubt that the US has one of the most advanced medical care systems in the world, it is also one of the most expensive and challenging to manage.
According to a recent article in the Huffington Post both drug costs and hospital costs are significantly higher in the US than in other industrialized countries.
Compare the prices for the drub "Copaxone"
Compare the cost for a day in the hospital...
There might be some change on the horizon...according to ANOTHER article in the Huffington Post, health care spending slowed to a historially low rate og growth...slower than the economic growth (a good thing!) from 2010 to 2012.
Health Insurance
Here is a brief video on how health insurance works...
Click HERE to view this video directly on YouTube
But how does Health Insurance REALLY work?
Questions about insurance and what happens to the money need to be asked:
- Where do my premiums go?
- Are insurance companies really banks?
- When did this all start getting out of control? Read this article: Regan era Deregulation
Insurance Deregulation in Maine
- Few winners, many losers
- Raised health insurance costs - up to 500% more
- LePage promised to dismantle the Dirigo Heath Care Act - more than $1,000,000 in contributions to his campaigne were from the insurance industry!
Affordable Care Act
There is a lot of myth and misinformaton going around about this particular law. Check out these resources.
Here is a great video about what the Affordable Care Act
Here is a video that describes the tax penalties for not having health insurance.
Assessment
There is no assessment for this lesson.