One Billion Individuals Cannot Pay For Any Healthcare
The World Health Organization confirms a most horrifying trend in their recent study – 1 billion people can’t pay for paid medical care of any kind. Reuters accounts the problem is even more complicated than that, however. Every year, the high cost of medical care takes 100 million paying customers to the arms of poverty. Source for this article – One billion people cannot afford health care, says WHO by Personal Money Store.
Being unable to pay for health care leaves nations needing to become more efficient
The WHO’s worldwide report on health care pays particular attention to financing, as the number of countries with large numbers of individuals who cannot afford health care has growth substantially. Considering methods to increase performance, use taxes, and fund-raising measures to make medical care more affordable and less poverty-inducing; are of vital importance, particularly if universal coverage is to be the ultimate goal. David Evans, the WHO’s director of health systems financing, said in a media briefing the current state of health care worldwide forces people to choose between a rock and a hard place.
“When (health services) aren’t affordable, it means you either choose not to use them or you suffer severe financial hardship,” he said.
Bettering worldwide medical care with World Health Organization
In order to keep those who do pay for health care from sliding into poverty, the WHO recommends that health care and insurance company practices ought to be tweaked so that 15 to 20 percent of a country’s total health spending amounts to direct, out-of-pocket payments. There are 33 low-to middle-income countries right now that pay way too much in out of pocket payments. Over 50 percent is paid for them. If governments can diversify their revenue sources – sin taxes, currency transaction taxes and wealth taxes are suggested in the report – the spending numbers would reportedly shrink.
Health care squander
Compounding the issue of one billion people who cannot afford healthcare is medical care squander. According to World Health Organization director general Margaret Chan, 20 percent to 40 percent of all worldwide health care spending is wasted through purchase of costly, unnecessary drugs and treatments. Lack of proper medical training also contributes to such inefficiency. Some nations end up paying 67 times more than the international average for some medications that they need. Many see this and know that solving the medical care dilemma isn’t going to occur quickly.
“There is no magic bullet to achieving universal access,” said Chan. “Nevertheless, a wide range of experiences from around the globe suggests that nations can move forward faster.”
Articles cited
Reuters
reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AL1GV20101122
The need for health care reform in India
youtube.com/watch?v=dPsX46Svjmo
