Types of health care systems

A national or universal health care - the concept is very vague, and in practice it is implemented in different ways. The health care system in each country - it is a product of its unique characteristics, history, political process, and the national character of the people, many of these systems are experiencing major reforms.

Single-payer system

As part of the health care system, built on the principle of "single payer" health care services provided to all citizens, financed by the state. It collects taxes, manages the provision of medical care, and pays it directly. In essence it is about replacing private insurance fully nationalized system. As a rule the government is developing the overall budget for health care, deciding what part of the country's resources should be allocated for this purpose, and also sets the price or amount of compensation to those who provide health care services. In some cases, doctors are government employees who receive a salary. In others, they are independent and are compensated based on the volume of services provided and conducted medical actions. As part of the hard version of single-payer system, private health insurance and other ways of "going beyond voluntary" state medicine prohibited. It is such an option favored by Michael Moore, Paul Krugman, Dennis Kucinich, the organization "Doctors for public health programs" and the like.

Health insurance at work

In countries where there is such a system, the government requires employers to provide their workers health insurance, often through a semi "sickness funds." These insurance funds can operate within one or more sectors of the economy, the size of contributions and benefits set by the state. Often, these contributions are merely a form of tax on salary and are paid directly to the fund. Medical institutions are independent, and the amount of their remuneration for services are set by negotiation with the funds, sometimes individually and sometimes nationally. An example of such a system has long been the German health care.