Reference no: EM133861759

Question

This passage discusses the satisfaction levels of citizens in four unnamed nations with their health care systems. Despite some criticisms, no one considers their national health insurance a mistake and wishes to start from scratch. The US system, however, is criticized for its 40 million uninsured citizens, inadequate coverage for many, and wide disparities in access and quality. These issues are seen to overshadow its virtues, such as service integration and advanced analytic capacity. While the costs of foreign systems are often described as being in "crisis," the systems themselves are not. American public opinion shows dissatisfaction with the US system and support for significant changes. However, this dissatisfaction does not translate into a clear mandate for change from the status quo. Policymakers are uncertain about the specific issues people are upset about and what they believe would be a better solution. This uncertainty is not surprising given that the same political leaders who subtly implemented complex payment reforms in public programs have generally avoided initiating in-depth public discussions on these issues.