American and Norwegian Health Care Services

This assignment is about the comparison of the USA Health Care System with that of Norway. I chose Norway as a country to compare the USA with Norway to enable me to achieve some knowledge on how Norway carries its Health Care System. In addition, Norway and America share some cultural practices making it an easy task in comparing these two nations.

Health Statistics and Costs: Comparison between the U.S. and Norway

The cost of treatment in the USA is so high compared to Norway. However, the American hospitals are well equipped with medical facilities, due to them having equipment of recent technology. The doctors also receive a very high pay beyond the common standard in America. In addition, America spends over 2000 dollars per individual in providing health care, making it the most costly organization in the world. (Holtz, 2008).

The infant mortality of the USA is 6.1whereas that of Norway is 3.5. The life expectancy of the USA is 78.2 whereas that of Norway is 80.0. These differences occur due to the poor feeding habits of Americans. Most Americans prefer taking junk foods unlike the citizens from Norway. However, both Norway and the USA have a common health problem, chronicle diseases kill most citizens in both Norway and the USA Besides America having the highest percentage of gross domestic product, per capital expenditures, the majority of its citizens are prone to diseases that lead to early deaths.

For instance, America allocates 3.4 to the health sector whereas Norway allocates 1.7. The USA uses more funds in health compared to Norway due to its high technology imposition in health centers, in addition, the USA has more qualified doctors compared to Norway, leading to it allocating a lot of money towards the health sector to cover doctors’ salary. (Knickman, 2011).

Health Care Financing: Comparison between the U.S. and Norway

In the USA, a Medicaid program takes the responsibility of paying medical support to the meager people and families with low earnings and resources. Other working people take the responsibility of taking care of their health; in addition, these people from the middle class are insured by the private sectors against the cost of medication and against loss of their incomes during illness period (Holtz, 2008).

Norway, on the other side, practices socialization medication, all workers in Norway pay tax from their monthly income to cover welfare programs and to boost medical care. The central government of Norway apart from contributing to the counties medication demands, also grants every individual medical insurance expense. Contributions from the patients’ medical fee also assist the government in catering the treatment of nonresident patients. (Joumard, 2010).

Healthcare Administration: Comparison between the U.S. and Norway

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has got the responsibility of looking after the health and general health protection of the USA citizens. In addition, it provides many important being services. The DHHS department in association with other departments carries out civic health research, it achieves this by dividing itself into sub-branches that carry many other roles in the society.

These sub-branches play different roles, for instance, there is an agency responsible for the aging people, an agency that observes and controls consumption of harmful elements, and an agency responsible for the well-being of children (Knickman, 2011).

The Norwegian government grants local governments the responsibility of monitoring health care services. Through this, the government of Norway succeeds in the provision of quality treatments through equalizing all people. The government of Norway also carries the responsibility of granting resources and other requirements to health sectors. However, the Norwegian Panel of Health labors jointly with 19 counties medical officers in supervising and observing well being services in Norway. (Joumard, 2010).

Health Care Personnel and Facilities: Comparison between the U.S. and Norway

America has got a totally different health care structure when compared with Norway. In Norway, the government plays a big role in covering the cost of the health services provided to its citizen. In addition, the cost of treatment in the USA is very high compared to Norway, this is because of well equipment of the USA hospitals. The USA also apart from having advanced technology used in offering medical services, their level of treatment is also high compared to Norway.

The doctors in the USA are more competent in their work compared to doctors in Norway and, due to their competence, the government allocates health sector a lot of money to enhance their good pay (Joumard, 2010).

Access and Inequality Issues: Comparison between the U.S. and Norway

Medication in the USA is race, age, poverty rate, and seriousness of disease oriented. This is because the government of the USA values the lives of the extreme poor individuals more than the lives of people from middle class. It aids the disadvantaged in raising the cost of their health care. On the other hand, Norway government treats all persons equally. It takes the responsibility of paying the cost incurred on its citizens medication. (Joumard, 2010).

References

Holtz, C. (2008). Global health in developed societies. New York, United States: Jones and Bartlett.

Joumard, I. (2010). Health Care Systems: Efficiency and Policy Settings. Paris, France: OECD Publishing.

Knickman, J., & Kovner, A. (2011). Jonas & Kovner’s Health Care Delivery in the United States. New York: Springer Publishing Company.