Relatively low levels of American taxes have placed significant ...

[hubes95]

Relatively low levels of American taxes have placed significant downward pressure on budget allocations for social programs.
 
  Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Question 2

Discuss service orientation versus profit orientation in the context of the American health-care system.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[yotaSR5]

Answer to Question 1

True

Answer to Question 2

Most Americans believe that the only focus of health care is to keep people healthy by preventing diseases, illnesses, and impairments from occurring and by restoring to health as rapidly as possible those who do become ill. If this were the only objective, the health-care system would not receive very high grades. There are a number of countries that have a higher life expectancy than the United States. Life expectancy is highly correlated with the quality of health care in a society. As a population's health improves because of better medical care and improved living conditions, the average age to which its members live rises.
Another indicator of the quality of health care is the infant mortality rate. Thirty-four countries have a lower infant mortality rate than the United States. The higher the rate at which newborns live in a country is directly correlated with the quality of health care provided to newborns and their mothers. The infant mortality rate is determined by the number of deaths of children under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births in a calendar year.

The objectives of health-care providers in the United States are not only to restore and maintain health but also to make a profit. There are numerous statistics documenting that the system is prospering. Many of America's 7,000 and more hospitals are among the most modern in the world. Physicians have the highest median income of any occupational group. They earn several times more than the average wage earner. The mean income of physicians is about 200,000 per year. The average daily cost for a hospital bed has gone from 74 in 1970 to more than 2,000 currently. One of the most profitable small businesses in this country is the private medical practice. Among the most profitable intermediate-size businesses are nursing homes. The pharmaceuticals industry, involving the manufacture and sale of drugs, has been one of the most profitable large industries in the country. The United States spends more money on health care (in both absolute and proportionate terms) than any other country. Medical costs constitute 25 of the total production of goods and services. Consumers seeking immediate and inexpensive health care in the United States country are often frustrated and angered over high costs and delays. Access is particularly difficult in low-income neighborhoods in cities and smaller rural communities because health-care facilities tend to be located in affluent urban and suburban neighborhoods. The late Robert F. Kennedy described the health-care system in the United States as a national failure that is providing poor quality care at high costs. Other industrialized nations regard medical care as a social service. This philosophy is based on the premise that the kind of care you receive depends on the kind of illness you have. In contrast, in the United States, the kind of medical care one receives depends not only on his or her illness but also on how much money one is able and willing to spend.