ACCESS / ISSUES (A/I)
Health Insurance: the structure of the market? (for further
information) Health
insurance in the
United States evolved during the 20th Century. This was a
pragmatic evolution, meaning that it was not controlled by a
theoretical framework, and thus leaves open basic questions such as the
role of insurance.
Cost & Access? There have been some studies, including some
large, careful and expensive studies, of (for further information)
how access to care and outcome
of
care relate to cost of care and cost of insurance. Even so,
understanding remains limited.
A Two (or more) Tier System? Complaints about changes in the
health care delivery system sometimes challenge proposals on the
grounds that they establish a two tier system, in other words violate a
principle of equality in health care. But the existing system is not a
single tier system. The matter
of tiers is closely related to the question of (for further
information) whether/how
care is rationed. Oregon's experiment with prioritizing procedures
is
a particularly important and interesting development.
Socioeconomic and health disparities. Relationships between
disparities (for further information) in socioeconomic status
and disparities in
health and health care have been the subject of renewed interest
and understanding.
Disparities are not just between the poor and the rest of the
population,
but continues across all levels of socioeconomic status and also
relates
to the degree of inequality within a community.