Health Policy Reflection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Policy Reflection - Research Paper Example When comparing the United States’ health care system to the Canadian health care system one of the most prominent recognitions is that the United States charges considerably more for the same procedures. Mack (2011) indicates that the average cost of an appendectomy in the United States is $8,000. This is compared with Canada where the average cost of this operation is $5,000. There are a variety of reasons for this price disparity. One of the most prominent recognitions is that in the United States considerable amount more money goes towards administrative costs. These costs extend to the medical professionals as well. It’s recognized that many qualified medical professionals leave Canada to pursue higher paying jobs in the United States. While United States medical administrators and physicians receive higher salaries, this does not directly translate into improved quality of care. Another prominent difference between the United States and Canadian health care systems is the type of medical interventions that are implemented. In the United States there is considerable emphasis placed on expensive interventions. For instance, United States medical treatment regularly involves tonsillectomies, knee replacements, and MRIs. While these interventions are implemented in the Canada, the Canadian health care system places more focus on treatment at the primary care physician level. Klune (2011) indicates that in great part the Canadian primary care system is able to treat these issues before they become more large-scale and require expensive interventions. A final consideration is the nature of attitudes and socioeconomic conditions within the United States. An amount of research has argued that one of the major reasons the United States must spend more on health care costs than Canada is because the United States crime rate is higher (O’Neil 2007, p. 42). This higher