Explore a country that provides universal health care. What are its health outcomes? How do these outcomes compare to those in the United States? Should universal health care be a concept that the DNP should support? Why or why not?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Comparing Universal Health Coverage in the United States and Germany

Introduction

The United States has long been a leader in health care. Our country was one of the first to implement a national health insurance program and our hospitals are some of the most respected in the world. We pride ourselves on our access to high quality care at reasonable prices, but there is still work we can do to improve our system for all Americans. In this article, we explore how Germany achieved universal health coverage through their system—and how it can be done here as well.

Health Is a Right, Not a Privilege

In a democracy, health care is a human right. It’s not just something that you have to pay for; it’s something that you should be guaranteed.

Health care is not a privilege—it’s your birthright and responsibility as an American citizen. The government should provide reasonable access to all Americans for preventative care and treatment for chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease, but the cost of caring for the sick shouldn’t be borne by taxpayers alone.

The Benefits of Universal Health Coverage

Universal health coverage is a basic human right and it should be accessible to everyone. Health care is not a private good, but rather a public good that benefits all of us as individuals, families and communities. Universal health coverage improves the health of our population by providing access to high-quality care at lower costs than when individuals are dependent on insurance companies or government programs like Medicare or Medicaid. This means that people living in countries with universal health coverage can better afford their medical needs while still having enough money left over after paying for those needs that they can spend other things such as buying food, clothing and shelter for themselves or their families.

Universal health coverage also improves economic efficiency because people who are healthier generally enjoy higher productivity levels due to lower absenteeism from work due to illness; but even if an individual does not use his/her sick days as much (or at all), this lowers costs associated with employer-provided healthcare plans since fewer people will have expensive hospital stays which would increase risk pooling liabilities shared among employers’ workers nationwide instead of just locally where most small businesses operate today.”

Barriers to Universal Health Coverage in the US

In the United States, there is a lack of universal health coverage. This is because most people do not have access to health care through their employer or government programs like Medicare or Medicaid. In Germany, however, everyone has access to health care through their government system and they can choose how much they want to pay for it.

In other countries around the world that have a single-payer system (like Canada), there are different types of insurance plans available depending on your income level and family size. The German model does not offer any options beyond what’s already covered by law; however, many Germans are able to get private insurance through their employers as well as public programs like Krankenkassen (German sickness funds).

Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the United States

To achieve universal health coverage, the United States needs to increase the number of people with insurance, increase the quality of care and reduce health disparities.

• Increase the number of people with insurance.

The United States has made significant progress toward achieving universal health coverage since 1960 when it had less than half as many insured Americans as Germany does today (58% vs 90%). But there is still work to be done: about 16% of Americans were uninsured in 2016 compared with around 10% before 2000; one third or more rely on high-deductible plans that leave them struggling financially even if they have insurance; and many low-income households don’t qualify for Medicaid because they earn too much money or live in states that have opted out (like Texas). The Affordable Care Act (ACA) helped some by expanding Medicaid eligibility under its Medicaid expansion provision while also requiring all states to cover at least some low-income adults who aren’t otherwise eligible due solely to age]]. However this increased coverage wasn’t enough according so much since only 26 million people qualified for premium subsidies through exchanges set up under ACA which means most eligible consumers weren’t able access affordable private plans offered through marketplaces set up like exchanges designed specifically for individuals no matter what state they live

The U.S. can learn a lot from German health care.

Germany’s healthcare system is a model for the United States. It provides universal coverage, but it also offers more options and more choice than our own system does. For example:

• Germany has a lower infant mortality rate than the United States does—1 in 4 children die before age one here compared with 1 in 5 in Germany (though both countries’ rates are still much higher than those around the world).

• Maternal mortality has dropped from almost 10% of all maternal deaths before 1950 to 0% today—a remarkable achievement that reflects not only much greater funding for services but also better care throughout pregnancy and after birth.

In addition, German hospitals are highly rated by patients and medical professionals alike because they’re often staffed with doctors who speak English or other languages spoken by international patients; this makes it easier for them to communicate effectively with their doctors during visits or phone calls about treatment plans or questions about medication dosages or side effects related to specific health conditions such as cancer treatment (which requires frequent monitoring). This can lead directly toward better outcomes overall since people who feel comfortable talking freely with their doctors will likely be more motivated toward staying healthy rather than waiting until something becomes serious enough before seeking help.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, Germany’s health care system is a fine example for the United States to follow. Although it does have its flaws and could be improved in some ways, it has managed to provide universal coverage for all of its citizens without causing any undue hardships on those who cannot afford it. If there are barriers that prevent us from achieving such a goal in our country, then they should be removed so that everyone can get the care they need.