Daniel B. Bruzzini
the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , USA
Title: The United States of America History of Healthcare: Going Back to Go Forward.
Biography
Biography: Daniel B. Bruzzini
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Healthcare as a human right or human need depends, as do many things these days, on one’s perspective. While most of the people of the world receive government financed healthcare, only 40% do so in the United States of America. The United States has three systems of healthcare payment – government, private insurance, and self-pay. To understand this complexity in order to make informed decisions today for a better tomorrow requires a visit to yesterday. We explore the development of healthcare in the United States and contrast that with its development in Europe. The cultural element of American and Euroopean Healthcare systems will be discussed because it is in this context healthcare operates on both individuals and societies. The audience will develop the evaluation tools to apply to government versus private free-enterprise based systems. Critical questions will be asked of both government and free-enterprise based systems. The role of private and government insurance in managing healthcare will be debated and examined critically. The responsibilities of government, businesses, and the individual regarding their health maintenance, health insurance, and healthcare needs is at the heart of whether healthcare is a human right or human need.