Financing and Structure

Identify and describe the three main types of health insurances in the U. S.?

The three main types of health insurances in the United States are voluntary health insurance, social health insurance and public welfare health care programs.

1. Voluntary or private health insurance in the United States can be divided into three different groups: Blue Cross and Blue Shield, private or commercial insurance companies, and health maintenance organizations. Private health insurance coverage varies widely in terms of benefits provided, the extent of reimbursement for covered services, and exclusions or limitations. The health insurance plans are designed to provide limited protection for the most expensive services and usually cover inpatient hospital and physician services, and outpatient hospital services, including laboratory procedures.

2. Social health insurance has two major mandatory programs sponsored by United States government which are Workers’ Compensation and Medicare.

Workers’ Compensation is offered to some extent in all fifty sates and it’s usually the first type of social insurance enacted in a nation. The program provides two basic benefits: cash replacement of a portion of wages lost due to disability and payment for all or part of the medical care necessary.

3. Public Welfare Health Care Programs- Medicaid, Medicare, and SCHIP are funded by federal, state and local government. The health care of an elderly or the poor is either funded by Medicare or Medicaid. There are guidelines on who can qualify for any of these programs. Also they vary by states. Millions of Americans are sponsored through these programs for healthcare, food and shelter. Medicare and Medicaid are the majority of insurance being used by the elderly and the poor in the U.S. Medicare provides a variety of hospital, physician, and other medical services for elderly people 65 and up, Disabled people and end stage renal disease victims. Medicaid is a federal and state funded...