|
Americans usually get coverage from Medicare, Medicaid or their employers. Medicaid is for the poor, and Medicare for the elderly but it only covers about 40 percent of healthcare expenses (Bernard, p.153) Nearly two thirds of Americans under 65 rely on health coverage from an employer. Workers are therefore dependent on their employers for coverage, which adds to the difficulties of changing or losing a job. This results in �not only damping economic efficiency but reducing the competition for labor and, therefore, reducing wages.�(Akst). Workers feel locked in their current jobs because of the fear of losing benefits, which then lowers productivity. Also, many employers are cutting back on the health insurance they provide by either dropping it entirely or by making it harder for employees to qualify. (�The Health Insurance Crisis�). This employer-based system excludes the unemployed, the self-employed, low-skilled workers and those with a history of health problems. A person with a pre-existing condition is often uninsurable. Even among people who are both employed and insured this system creates inequalities. Low wage firms for instance tend to pay a smaller percentage of premium costs, and offer policies with fewer benefits. (Jecker, p.225) Most if not all the issues that Americans are facing with healthcare could be solved if the healthcare system in this country was entirely rebuilt using Canada as a model. So let�s take a look at the Canadian single payer healthcare system. |
|
