U.S. Health care System vs. Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. Health care System vs. Canada - Essay Example In both countries, the process of health care development was neither linear nor smooth (Boychuk, 2005; Cunningham, 2003). The two neighboring countries, Canada and the United States have created health care systems that are very distinct. Kovner, Knickman and Jonas (2008) write that the system of health care delivery in the U.S. works along two different lines: one which helps to keep people healthy and another one comprising activities directed at dealing with health issues, once they occur. In its current state, the system of care delivery in American health care is characterized by (1) the growing role of institutions and medical professionals, (2) dramatic advances in medical technologies and electronic communications, (3) the existing tensions between big business and caring for patients, and (4) dysfunctional payment and financing. The latter, according to Kovner et al (2008) means that the U.S. system of health care is extremely expensive to maintain, and that insurance makes the system of payments to hospitals physicians extremely complex. The financing mix of U.S. health care looks as follows: 28% in direct taxes, 7.4% in indirect taxes, 35.5% in general taxes, 13.3% in social insurance, with private insurance and direct payments making up the rest (Wagstaff & Doorslaer, 1998). Unlike the United States, Canada gives its clinicians unprecedented autonomy in where they want to work and what set of medical services they are willing to deliver (Deber, 2003). A single-payer system, Canadian health care has been particularly successful in reducing its administrative costs (Woolhandler, Campbell & Himmelstein, 2003). Where the United States health care operates as a combination of public and private insurance options (Jensen et al,...health care. Recent advances in the Canadian system of health care can teach the United States a good lesson of economy and efficiency at a national scale. The current state of literature provides abundant information about health care progress in the United States. According to Cunningham (2003), the history of U.S. health care dates back to the end of the 19th century, when acute infections, the lack of medical technologies and social organization urged the creation of a national system of health care. The U.S. health care emerged in response to broad health challenges in 19th century America. By contrast, the evolution of the health care system in Canada was a logical process initiated by the earliest policy developments and propositions in Saskatchewan (Boychuk, 2005). In both countries, the process of health care development was neither linear nor smooth (Boychuk, 2005; Cunningham, 2003). The two neighboring countries, Canada and the United States have created health care systems that are very distinct. The American and Canadian systems of health care are equally different and alike. Advanced and sophisticated, both systems rely on the principles of efficiency and quality care. However, in distinction from the U.S., Canada pursues a rigid distinction between private and public health care.

U.S. foreign policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

U.S. foreign policy - Essay Example It is an observation that foreign policy of the US plays a crucial role in functions and operations of different countries around the globe, and this has been the reason of significant importance of different aspects of US foreign policy in international media and research.This paper is a similar attempt to analyze one of the major stakeholders of US foreign policy: public. In particular, the paper includes discussion and analysis of the perspective as whether public opinion matters in the decision-making process of US foreign policy or not. The paper includes different studies and reports that will be very beneficial in comprehensive understanding and validation of the discussion. Introduction In a democratic nation’s foreign policy, decisions are likely to be taken by the citizens and in support of the citizens. Governments are answerable to the citizens and the public would not clash, in view of the fact that it is public who finally pay the price and suffer for the most pa rt. Efforts of one government to control significant foreign policies of another by disturbing public opinion within that nation are not new to global relations. The British tried to influence United States view in support of joining both World Wars during the twentieth century. The issue of whether such efforts actually matter, however, stays open. United States public diplomacy throughout the post-9/11 phase certainly influenced by public opinion; however, the result is conditional on United States leaders’ trustworthiness in front of public... As a result, a foreign policy maker must be responsive to these restraints, master them, and rise above them, changing them to his or her determination (Hunt, p. 98, 2009). It is generally acknowledged by both researchers as well as the politicians that the balanced option is the leading approach to foreign policy making. This approach consists of identification and description of the problem; selection of objective; recognition of substitutes; and choice. Discussion In the foreign policy making procedure, the decision maker is not different to any normal human being who, after assessing the case, usually selects those measures, which almost certainly would attain the most excellent result. However, in the concept of rationalism, the rational is frequently puzzled with truth. If a foreign policy goes wrong, it is said that the decision makers worked unreasonably. However, whether correct or incorrect, if the decision was an act of study it can barely be unreasonable. Some that decisi on makers perform reasonably in conditions when they are stressed mainly in emergency, because in these circumstances, they have to be careful about their actions (Spanier & Hook, p. 395, 2009). The topic of public opinion along with its power in foreign policy has been an issue of argument both in and since the cold war between pragmatists and moderates. Arguments in favor of pragmatist view ‘can be found back in the eighteenth century’. â€Å"Edmund Burke a political philosopher contended that ‘A representative’s unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. Your representative owes you, not his industry