global health comparison grid template

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Global Health Comparison Grid Template

Use this document to complete the Module 6 Assessment Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

Global Healthcare

Issue

Unaffordable primary healthcare

Description Unaffordable primary healthcare refers to the inability of patients to pay for the cost of services provided in

the Primary care settings. Due to the advancing medical technology, increasing competition among

pharmaceutical companies, and the shortage of healthcare providers, the cost of accessing these services is on

the rise. Consequently, individuals are unable to afford these services. The problem is intensified by lack of

health insurance, due to poor economic status.

Country United States

Switzerland

Describe the policy

in each country

related to the

identified

healthcare issue

The Affordable Care Act was signed in to law in

2010 by the then US President Barrack Obama. The

act aimed at providing healthcare insurance coverage

to vulnerable populations in the US, thus reducing

the problem of uninsured. This would, therefore,

promote the affordability of primary healthcare

services. Through the act, the government introduced

the Medicare insurance program covering the elderly

and disabled, the Medicaid program covering the

The Swiss Federal Law on Compulsory Health Care

(LAMal) was signed in to law in January 1996. The

law mandates every Swiss citizen to purchase a

government-provided health insurance policy. The law

also applies to foreigners who stay in the country for

more than three months. The government pays for the

most significant portion of the premiums while the

citizens pay the other. However, for low-income

earners, the government pays the whole portion. The

Global Health Comparison Grid Template


low-income earners, and the Children Health

Insurance Program (CHIP) covering children from

impoverished backgrounds (Courtemanche, Marton,

Ukert, Yelowitz & Zapata, 2017).

law also allowed citizens to purchase a supplementary

cover from private insurers. It aimed at eradicating the

uninsured problem in the country, thus ensuring every

citizen can afford primary care services (di Bella,

Krejci, Ardu, Leporatti & Montefiori, 2018).

What are the

strengths of this

policy?

Through the policy, the federal government has

introduced insurance programs that help vulnerable

populations access healthcare services at no cost.

Additionally, private insurers are now mandated to

provide at least ten essential health benefits to the

insured. This has increased access and affordability

of a variety of services offered in the primary care

setting. The policy prohibits insurance companies

from abrupt cancellation of insurance cover and

discriminating against individuals with pre-existing

conditions in the access to medical cover.

Additionally, the policy has prolonged the period

children are covered by their parents' insurance to 26

years. As a result, this has promoted health care

access and affordability among unemployed youths

who are in the transition period between graduation

and employment.

The policy is uniform in that it ensures every Swiss

citizen has a health insurance cover; therefore, can

afford healthcare services. The policy allows citizens

to purchase complementary private insurance and

prohibits discrimination on the bases of pre-existing

conditions.

What are the

weaknesses of this

policy?

The policy is biased, thus has resulted in the

ununiformed decreased burden of healthcare costs. It

is only beneficial to populations that qualify for the

The policy promotes universal health insurance,

financed through premiums and taxes. The citizens


government provided programs. These are the

elderly, the low-income earners, and those living

with a disability. The policy imposes a high risk of

financial loss on private insurers. Consequently,

private players are exiting the market, creating a

shortage of insurers across the US. The policy

implementation process is subject to political

influence and the consequent corruption in the

registration of qualified individuals. Consequently,

some members of vulnerable populations end up

missing the opportunities.

bear the highest-burden because both taxes and

premiums are obtained from the citizens.

The policy does not cover clinical trials, therefore

discouraging medical advancement in the country.

Additionally, since citizens are mandated to pay

premiums for the rest of their lives, some may end up

spending more on premiums, than they would have

spent on out of pocket payment of healthcare cost

(Mattig, 2019).

Explain how the

social determinants

of health may

impact the

specified global

health issue. (Be

specific and

provide examples)

The social determinant of health influences the

Unaffordability of primary health care. For instance,

racial discrimination in access to health insurance

hinders members of racial minority groups from

affording healthcare costs. Unequal distribution of

resources and poverty courses competition for basic

needs among individuals. Consequently, they are

forced to prioritize most basic needs like food, and

therefore unable to afford health insurance and out of

pocket healthcare costs.

Social health determinants that contribute to the

unaffordability of health insurance include poor

lifestyle choices like unhealthy diet and exercise,

caused by limited health literacy. Consequently, most

individuals are battling multiple chronic conditions

that exhaust their insurance cover. Therefore, they are

unable to afford primary care services.


How has each

country’

government

addressed cost,

quality, and access

to the selected

global health

issue?

The US government has addressed the cost, quality

and unaffordability of healthcare issues through

policy actions. For instance, through the affordable

care act, vulnerable populations are accorded free

medical cover, and insurance companies are

prohibited from discriminatory actions in the

provision of health insurance. It has promoted

affordability of primary care services and reduced

out of pocket expenditure on healthcare.

Additionally, through the Centre of Medicare

Services, the US government has introduced a value-

based care model and eradicated volume-based care,

thus promoting quality healthcare (Barnes, Brown,

Harris, King & Johnson, 2020).

The Swiss government also controls healthcare cost,

quality and affordability through policy actions.

Through the mandatory insurance act, the government

reduces the out of pocket expenditure on healthcare.

The policy also prohibits private insurers from

charging high premiums on bases of pre-existing

conditions, thus controlling cost. The Swiss healthcare

system allows patients the privilege of seeking

treatment from physicians of their choice and

eradicates barriers to accessing referral to specialists

(Daily-Amir, Albrecher, Bladt & Wagner, 2019).This

promotes quality of care, as well as accessibility.


How has the

identified health

policy impacted

the health of the

global population?

(Be specific and

provide examples)

Through the affordable care act, the US has managed

to create one of the best healthcare systems in the

world. Consequently, other nations are emulating the

US, thus introducing similar policies in their

countries to attain similar benefits. These include

increased access and affordability of healthcare.


(LAMal) has had a global impact because it not only

applies to Switzerland citizens but also foreigners who

have been in the country for more than three months.

Consequently, the global population benefits from

universal health coverage as well.

Describe the

potential impact of

the identified

health policy on

the role of nurse in

each country.

The affordable care act has resulted in increased

access to healthcare among vulnerable populations

like the elderly and those living with a disability.

These populations present with unique health

conditions. This necessitates more nurses to

undertake specialized training in conditions affecting


(LAMal) has also increased access and demand for

healthcare. Consequently, there is an increasing

shortage of physicians. This necessitates nurses to

undertake more advanced roles and practice autonomy

to resolve the problem of the physician shortage

(Schmid, Beck & Kauer, 2018).


special populations like children and elderly

(Kominski, Nonzee & Sorensen, 2017).

Explain how global

health issues

impact local

healthcare

organizations and

policies in both

countries. (Be

specific and

provide examples)

Global health issues are a reflection of local health

problems in nations across the world. Therefore, in

the US, local healthcare organizations bear the same

burden created by global issues as other countries.

Consequently, health policies at organizational levels

are enacted across the US to eradicate global health

issues (Sommers, Maylone, Blendon, Orav &

Epstein, 2017). Such policies include those

promoting equity and standardized quality of care

among all patients regardless of personal differences.

In Switzerland, local healthcare organizations bear a

reduced burden of global issues due to the presence of

a unique healthcare system. The country has the best

healthcare system in the world. However,

organizations also implement organizational level

health policies to eradicate global health issues.


General

Notes/Comments

The affordable care act has significantly reduced the

problem of unaffordability of primary healthcare

among vulnerable populations. However, it has

neglected other citizens.

The mandatory insurance policy has significantly

reduced the problem of uninsured among all citizens

across the country in a uniform manner.


References

Barnes, J. M., Brown, D. S., Harris, J. K., King, A. A., & Johnson, K. J. (2020). Impact of the affordable care act dependent coverage

provision on young adult cancer patient insurance coverage by sociodemographic and economic characteristics. Cancer Causes

& Control, 31(1), 33-42.


Courtemanche, C., Marton, J., Ukert, B., Yelowitz, A., & Zapata, D. (2017). Early impacts of the Affordable Care Act on health

insurance coverage in Medicaid expansion and non‐ expansion states. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 36(1), 178-

210.

Daily-Amir, D., Albrecher, H., Bladt, M., & Wagner, J. (2019). On Market Share Drivers in the Swiss Mandatory Health Insurance

Sector. Risks, 7(4), 114.

di Bella, E., Krejci, I., Ardu, S., Leporatti, L., & Montefiori, M. (2018). What should we expect from Switzerland’s compulsory dental

insurance reform?. BMC health services research, 18(1), 272.

Kominski, G. F., Nonzee, N. J., & Sorensen, A. (2017). The Affordable Care Act's impacts on access to insurance and health care for

low-income populations. Annual review of public health, 38, 489-505.


Mattig, T. (2019). Coordinating health promotion in a federal state over the course of 30 years: a case report from Switzerland. Health

promotion perspectives, 9(4), 323.

Schmid, C. P., Beck, K., & Kauer, L. (2018). Health plan payment in Switzerland. In Risk Adjustment, Risk Sharing and Premium

Regulation in Health Insurance Markets (pp. 453-489). Academic Press.

Sommers, B. D., Maylone, B., Blendon, R. J., Orav, E. J., & Epstein, A. M. (2017). Three-year impacts of the Affordable Care Act:

improved medical care and health among low-income adults. Health Affairs, 36(6), 1119-1128.

global health comparison grid template

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