Gold Standard Healthcare in France: 80% Coverage for All - Essay Sample

Introduction

The gold plan in health insurance pays approximately 80 percent of the health care expenses covered for the standard population. The plan members can pay the remaining 20 percent of the health care expenditures from their coinsurance, copayments and deductible payments (Chevrul, Brigham, Durand-Zaleski & Hernadez-Quevedo, 2015). The health insurance coverage in France provides the gold standard of care. It is considered one of the best healthcare systems in the world providing an average life expectancy of 83 years ("Internations.org," 2019). The healthcare system covers 70% of the fees and 80% of the hospital costs. In the event of a major illness, 100% of the expenses are covered ("Internations.org," 2019). In line with the principle of solidarity in France, the sickest usually pays the least, to prevent them from being financially disadvantaged.

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Sources of Revenue Used to Pay for Health Care

The revenues used to pay for health care come from various sources. The healthcare costs in the country are financed partially by the state and partially by individuals and private insurers (Chevrul et al., 2015). Taxes from employers and employees also contribute to the healthcare system. French citizens pay high tax rates and the country spends more than 11% of its GDP on mandatory healthcare.

Rationing of Health Care Services

In France, every legal citizen in the country has the right to use healthcare which is covered by the law of universal coverage (Chevrul et al., 2015). The citizens have access to the health services ranging from general practitioners to the most sophisticated high-tech procedures. Rationing is, however, practiced on the non-citizens or immigrants who are not yet enrolled in the system.

Rationing in Comparison to the US

In the United States, healthcare is rationed based on the type of employment, income, and pre-existing medical conditions. This leaves out approximately 40 million Americans uninsured thereby denying them coverage or facing higher premiums due to their pre-existing medical conditions (Collins, 2019).

Crafting of the ACA in Relation to Experiences of Other Countries

I believe that the establishment of the ACA relied heavily on the health care experiences of countries such as France. The United States wanted to establish an all-inclusive health care system that would reform the private insurance market (especially for individuals and small-group purchasers), expand Medicaid to the poor citizens and change the manner in which medical decisions are arrived at.

Healthcare Policies in France

France has had some influential healthcare policies that have significantly contributed to its healthcare. Some of them include:

• The hybrid universal system and the healthcare costs in France are covered partially by private users or individuals and partially by the state.
• The taxes from employers and employees contribute to the healthcare system.
• Eligibility of any legal resident in France for health coverage regardless of their employment status.
• Why the US should adopt these policies
• The United States should adopt these healthcare policies.

They should implement them in their country because of the following reasons:

• While in France everyone is eligible and can access healthcare, only 60 percent of US citizens have adequate health insurance.
• The concept of solidarity in the French system ensures that the sick are not financially disadvantaged, which is not the case for the US whose system is economically defined, limiting to those who can afford to pay who comprise of 15 percent of the American population.
• The US also spends twice as much individually on healthcare compared to France which limited health coverage and performs poorer than France in health coverage, affordability and life expectancy among others ("Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation,"2011).

References

"Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation," (2011). Snapshots: Health Care Spending in the United States & Selected OECD Countries. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/snapshots-health-care-spending-in-the-united-states-selected-oecd-countries/

Collins, S. (2019). Status of U.S. Coverage and Potential of Health Reform Bills | Commonwealth Fund. (2019). Commonwealthfund.org. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2019/apr/testimony-health-insurance-recent-congressional-reform-bills

Chevrul, K., Brigham, K., Durand-Zaleski, I. and Hernadez-Quevedo, C. (2015). Health Systems in Transition. France Health system review. Euro.who.int. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/297938/France-HiT.pdf?ua=1

"Internations.org," (2019). Guide to Health Insurance and Healthcare System in France | InterNations.org. Internations.org. Retrieved from https://www.internations.org/go/moving-to-france/healthcare