Structure of the System and Consumer Choice
The healthcare system in Japan has constantly been characterized as being efficient, cheap, and having good outcomes. The system is classified as socialized and was established in 1961. All people must participate in the system (Harden). The government oversees the entire health care system and strives to provide the citizens with quality care. Japan has both publicly financed and privately financed health insurance. The universal public health insurance system (PHIS) is almost completely government regulated. The PHIS offers universal coverage, and people must enroll based on their current employment. Those aged forty and above participate in long-term care insurance (2015 International Profiles). …show more content…
No one can be denied from coverage due to having a pre-existing condition. The people make trips to the doctor about fourteen times a year, which is quadruple the frequency of Americans visiting the doctor. The Japanese are usually able to see the doctor the day they want to be seen, but unfortunately, wait times are often an issue. In one article, a case study describes a patient contacting emergency services almost right away, but sometimes the team must contact multiple hospitals before finding one that has enough room to accommodate the patient. Patients are able to stay in hospitals for a longer period of time than in the United States, contributing to this problem (Reich and Shibuya). Furthermore, there appears to be virtually no system of triage in the hospitals. Patients who come in with routine problems take space away from people who desperately need to be cared for (Harden).
There is a shortage of physicians in emergency care and in rural areas, causing the people in these geographical areas to have less resources available for medical care. Doctors want to work in clinics because they can make more money and not work as strenuously (“Not all smiles”). Health care facilities in Japan are often situated in areas that are considered to be of high profit, meaning that there is a higher density of physicians in highly populated areas. …show more content…
This is due to many reasons, like rising insurance premiums, the ordering of unnecessary tests, and the increase in hospital and provider fees. In the U.S., health care costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy, which is an issue not present in Japan (“Health Care Reform”). In the United States, a socioeconomic inequality exists to a much greater extent than in Japan. People with lower incomes often do not have enough money to pay for health insurance, doctor’s visits, or for medical tests and treatment. This results in poorer health outcomes. In the United States, there is a high prevalence of morbidity and obesity. These types of conditions require multiple doctor’s visits and frequent visits to the pharmacy to pick up medications (“The U.S. Health Care
The healthcare system in Japan has constantly been characterized as being efficient, cheap, and having good outcomes. The system is classified as socialized and was established in 1961. All people must participate in the system (Harden). The government oversees the entire health care system and strives to provide the citizens with quality care. Japan has both publicly financed and privately financed health insurance. The universal public health insurance system (PHIS) is almost completely government regulated. The PHIS offers universal coverage, and people must enroll based on their current employment. Those aged forty and above participate in long-term care insurance (2015 International Profiles). …show more content…
No one can be denied from coverage due to having a pre-existing condition. The people make trips to the doctor about fourteen times a year, which is quadruple the frequency of Americans visiting the doctor. The Japanese are usually able to see the doctor the day they want to be seen, but unfortunately, wait times are often an issue. In one article, a case study describes a patient contacting emergency services almost right away, but sometimes the team must contact multiple hospitals before finding one that has enough room to accommodate the patient. Patients are able to stay in hospitals for a longer period of time than in the United States, contributing to this problem (Reich and Shibuya). Furthermore, there appears to be virtually no system of triage in the hospitals. Patients who come in with routine problems take space away from people who desperately need to be cared for (Harden).
There is a shortage of physicians in emergency care and in rural areas, causing the people in these geographical areas to have less resources available for medical care. Doctors want to work in clinics because they can make more money and not work as strenuously (“Not all smiles”). Health care facilities in Japan are often situated in areas that are considered to be of high profit, meaning that there is a higher density of physicians in highly populated areas. …show more content…
This is due to many reasons, like rising insurance premiums, the ordering of unnecessary tests, and the increase in hospital and provider fees. In the U.S., health care costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy, which is an issue not present in Japan (“Health Care Reform”). In the United States, a socioeconomic inequality exists to a much greater extent than in Japan. People with lower incomes often do not have enough money to pay for health insurance, doctor’s visits, or for medical tests and treatment. This results in poorer health outcomes. In the United States, there is a high prevalence of morbidity and obesity. These types of conditions require multiple doctor’s visits and frequent visits to the pharmacy to pick up medications (“The U.S. Health Care