Healthcare inequality among older adults or senior citizens - Research Paper Example

?Health Care Inequality and the Senior Citizens Introduction The U.S. Health Care System Once, it was considered "the best health care system in the world" due to availability of medical technology and best standard facilities (Chua, 2006). But the increasing costs and the decrease in services made the people question its reliability. The United States Health Care System went through a lot of interrogation and review. For the past decades, the system faced numerous debates. America is one of the countries that spends a large percentage on health care. However, reports shows that despite this fact, the United States still face challenges due to uneven quality of health care, numerous uninsured Americans and inconsistencies in the administration of the system (Chua, 2006). Just like any other countries, the United States Health Care system has both public and private insurers (Chua, 2006). According to Chua (2006), the government and the private insurance share the responsibility of the financing the United States Health Care System making it a "multi-player" system. Because of this, there are many inconsistencies and disparities in the health care services provided to Americans. The Elderly and their Rights In the United States, having health care protection is not a right, instead Dennis Wolfe (n.d.) described it as a strict economic definition of getting the services for the fees paid. The cost is proportionate to the age. The older the person gets, the higher the cost of the health care services (Wolfe, n.d.). It was in 1966 when the first medical benefits were felt upon the establishment of Medicare by the Federal Law in 1965 (Wolfe, n.d.). The Michigan Legislature (n.d.) referred to Medicare as "a federal health insurance program available to people 65 years of age or older, some persons with disabilities under the age of 65, and people with end stage renal disease." However, senior citizens must learn and understand this first before they can choose the best low cost option of health insurance available for them. There has been many attempts to reform the health care system. It was on June 28, 2012 when the so-called OBAMACARE or Affordable Caure Act was approved by President Obama which entitled the senior citizens to lower cost drugs, more free health screenings and annual physical consultation for senior citizens (Sutherland, 2012). Discussion Socio-Economic Disparities in Health Health researchers identified disparities in health in the United States due to problems in race, ethnicity, and socio-economy (Cousineau et. al., n.d.). According to Cousineau, Stevens, and Van Gurt of the USC Division of Community Health, what is more alarming is the disparities among these racial, ethnic and socioeconomic problems develop and create a more complex problem. Upon studying, Cousineau, Stevens and Van Gurt (n.d.), stated that disparities in health was "defined in health status, risk factors for disease and injury, access to and use of health care services, and differences in the quality of care receive." For the disparities in health status, these are caused by morbidity and mortality while for the risk factors of disease and injury; disparities vary due to differences in risk for disease as a result of behavioral factors such as smoking, fat intake and no physical exercise (Cousineau et. al., n.d.). The disparities in health status affect the health care services in the United States. This is because the provision of the health care in America is based on the kind of illness the person has aside from the age factor. Current Status of Health Care System The Michigan Legislatures described good health, its maintenance and preservation as "one of the most important factors contributing to the well being of the senior citizens." The Medicare program established by the Federal Law in 1965 continues to assist the senior citizens with their medical needs. The seniors are provided with avenues to take good care of their health such as the health clinics, screening programs and services. Recent reports in 2012 characterized the US Health Care system as "a system that saves lives in miraculous fashion, but is also expensive and outmoded and in some cases downright Kafkaesque (Lowrey, 2012). According to Lowrey (2012), the calculations of the experts show that 30 cents per dollar is spent on health care but mostly went to waste and misused. According to Chua (2006), the United States “spends more on health care per capita than any other countries” and that in the country more or less 44% of the spending is funded by the government while the private insurance shares roughly 37% unlike other countries in which the public sector is the main source of health funding. Health Care Services Provided to Adults Elderly people were provided with health care services that will help and assist them in their medical needs. Some of the major health care services provided to the senior citizens are the following: Medicare Program: a federal health insurance program for 65 years an older or persons with disabilities or renal diseases if under 65 years old. Hospital insurance and or medical insurance are provided for the senior citizens. Prescription Drug Assistance under the Medicare Program: the Medicare Modernization Act of 2000 created the Medicare drug benefit which started in 2006 in which program pays for outpatient drugs through private plans. Medicaid Program: funded by both the state and the federal governments which aids to those needy individuals on their medical bills based on their income, family size as well as assets. There is also available Private Health Insurance for the citizens of the United states which include: Employer-Sponsored Insurance: This is the health care insurance provided by the employer as part of the benefits the employees get from the company. Private non-group: this is the health care insurance of the individual markets which are mostly self-employed and retired on which the health insurance companies has the authority to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions (Chua, 2006). Social Inequality in Age and Health Care Reports show that many of our elder workers under 65 opt to delay their retirement because of the decline of retiree health care plans sponsored by employer (Cawthorne, 2010). According to Cawhorne (2010), older Americans find it very hard to enroll themselves to these health care plans due to their very tight budget and higher expenses in healthcare. Their health insurance does not cover prescription drugs, medical supplies or long term care (Cawhorne, 2010). It was proven in many reports that expenses for adults aging between 55 to 64 years old spends almost twice of those with ages from 35 to 44 (Cawthorne, 2010). Since as per law, a person can be eligible in Medicare when he is 65 years old and less than 65 years old will be allowed only if he is seriously ill or has renal diseases. Because of this condition, those who are not eligible for Medicare resorted to home equity loans and use of credit cards to pay their bills. Because of this poverty status for elderly aging (55 to 64) increases rapidly. The seniors now faced numerous challenges as to their economic well-being. According to Cawthorne (2010), many senior citizens suffer financial problems due to “lower retirement savings, record unemployment, high health care costs, and a lackluster of housing market.” More elderly Americans are now suffering this inequality in health care services because if they are not eligible based on age, they have to pay expensive out-of-pocket medical expenses that are supposed to be included in their health care benefits. Instead, they now has to shell out their savings or money intended for other basic needs to pay for their medical treatment which are at a very high cost. Now the social inequality happens in health care for the elders. It can be said that this inequality is according to conflict theorists because this problem in health care can be addressed if those who are in power will just look into it and consider the problems of the senior citizens. Conflict theorists believe that "inequality results from groups with power dominating less powerful groups" and repress the powerless to maintain status quo (Crossman, n.d.) Conclusion There are two ways to check whether there is social inequality. One is if there is inequality in conditions; the second one implies inequality in opportunities. In the case of the adult Americans who were not able to enroll in the health care system, there is a presence of inequality due to the conditions of enrollment to availing health care system. The Americans should have a policy that will ensure all senior citizens will be given the secured retirement plan. The employers must be responsible to provide the retirement benefits of the employees. In this case, all employees will be entitled to have a secured retirement plan for their health. The United States must ensure to protect its citizens against social inequality. Results of the studies conducted described that Americans aging 55 to 64 go through a very challenging time of having to pay for expensive medical bills unlike those younger ones (Cawthorne, 2010). Therefore, age in the United States is a crucial factor for the health care system. According to Wolfe (n.d.), the medical expenses are directly proportional to age, the older the person gets, the higher the cost for his health care. The expenses and medical treatments vary according to the age of the citizens. This should not be the case, social equality described a state in which opportunities and conditions should not matter to age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and the like. References Cawthorne, A. (2010, September 27). The Not-So-Golden Years. Center for American Progress. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of-Social-Inequality.htm Chua, K. (2006, February 10). Overview of the U.S. Health Care System. AMSA Jack Ruthledge Fellow 2005-2006. Retrieved from http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Libraries/Committee_Docs/HealthCareSystemOverview.sflb.ashx Cousineau, M., Stevens, G., Van Gurt, J. (n.d.). Disparities in Health in the United States. USC Division of Community Health. Retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/programs/healthcollaborative/pdf/DisparitiesConceptPaper.pdf Crossman, A. (n.d.). Sociology of Social Inequality. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of-Social-Inequality.htm Lowrey, A. (2012, September 11). Study of the U.S. Health Care System Finds Both Waste and opportunity to improve. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/health/policy/waste-and-promise-seen-in-us-health-care-system.html?_r=1& Sutherland, T. (2012, June 28). Supreme Court Gives America's Senior Citizens Longer, Healthier Lives. Senior Journal. Retrieved from http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Opinion/2012/20120628_Supreme_Court_Gives.htm Wolfe, D. (n.d.). Health Care for Senior Citizens-Understanding Medicare. Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP, CPA's. Retrieved from http://groco.com/readingroom/fin_medicaresenior.aspx Read More