The American Health Care Delivery System
Assignment Details A mother brings her daughter into the emergency room during an asthma attack. Though both of her parents work, they cannot afford medical insurance for themselves or her. They also earn too much money to qualify for state or federal aid. She is treated with medication for her asthma attack at the hospital and she and her mother leave. Two weeks later, they return to the hospital in a virtually identical scenario. In a 4-5 page paper, consider the following questions and explain your position of the issues: Do you think that this girl is receiving adequate care? Should she be able to see a primary-care physician before her condition gets so acute that she must visit the ER? Should everyone be entitled to a basic minimum of health care or to the exact same health care? Do you think that health care is a right? If so, is everyone forced to honor this right? Is this right relative or universal? Does this right exist because of the wealth of the United States, or is it applicable everywhere? Is health care a luxury? Does having money entitle a person to better health care?
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The case of the girl suffering from asthma highlights some of the challenges faced by individuals without medical insurance in the American health care delivery system. In addressing the questions posed, it is essential to consider the fundamental principles of health care and its delivery.
First, with regards to the girl’s care, while she received treatment for her asthma attack, it is arguable that she did not receive adequate care. Adequate care involves not only treating the immediate symptoms but also addressing the underlying causes and providing preventive measures to avoid future attacks. This requires ongoing access to medical care, which the girl lacks. Therefore, the girl is not receiving adequate care.
Second, the issue of the availability of primary care physicians to individuals without medical insurance is critical. Ideally, individuals should have access to primary care physicians who can provide preventive care, regular check-ups, and monitoring of chronic conditions. This can reduce the need for emergency care and the associated costs. Therefore, there is a need to increase access to primary care physicians for everyone, including those without medical insurance.
Third, the question of whether everyone should be entitled to a basic minimum of health care or to the same health care is a contentious issue. While access to health care is a fundamental right, the specifics of how this right is implemented can vary. Some argue that everyone should be entitled to the same level of care, while others suggest that a basic minimum of care is sufficient.
In my opinion, health care is a fundamental right that everyone should have access to, and everyone should be entitled to a basic minimum of health care. This should include access to preventive care, primary care, emergency care, and specialist care. However, the specifics of what constitutes a basic minimum of care can be debated, and the implementation of this right may vary based on a country’s economic circumstances.
Furthermore, the right to health care should be relative and universal. This means that everyone should have access to health care regardless of their economic or social status, and the implementation of this right should be relative to the country’s economic conditions.
Lastly, while having money may enable a person to access better health care, health care should not be a luxury. All individuals should have access to the same level of basic health care regardless of their financial standing.
In conclusion, the case of the girl suffering from asthma highlights the challenges faced by individuals without medical insurance in the American health care delivery system. Access to health care is a fundamental right that everyone should have, and everyone should be entitled to a basic minimum of health care. The implementation of this right may vary based on a country’s economic circumstances, but health care should not be a luxury, and all individuals should have access to the same level of basic care.
