Liberty Equality And Fraternity Essay

Liberty, equality, and fraternity. The infamous phrase dates back as one of the countless slogans and mottos to galvanize the citizenry in the midst of the French Revolution. Today, this phrase exemplifies not only the republican ideals that ignited the revolution, but also embodies the country’s healthcare system; Liberty, or freedom of the patient to choose whichever doctor or healthcare provider he or she wishes to. Equality, in the universal medical coverage for all French citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status. Fraternity, illustrated by the overwhelmingly positive reception and regard in which French citizens hold their healthcare system. Consequently, the French healthcare system is superior to its international counterparts in terms of access to care, state regulation of care, quality of care, and the patient options for healthcare providers. Two layers of insurance comprises the French healthcare system, which enables universal medical coverage among its citizen and beneficiaries. The Statutory Health Insurance (SHI), funded primarily through payroll taxes and earmarked income tax, covers nearly 100% of the resident population and is composed of several schemes in which residents are placed, based on their employment status, for which the individual and the family is affiliated with in both work and …show more content…
In the Commonwealth Survey for elderly individuals, 100% of respondents had a “regular doctor or place of care.” Furthermore, 3% of elderly patients in France “had cost-related access problems in the past year,” the lowest country survey, compared to 19% of American respondents. The elderly in the French healthcare has few financial barriers to prevent access as no elderly patients “had spent $2,000 or more out-of-pocket in the past year” and 83% of patients “could get same or next day appointment with doctor...when sick or needed,” first in the