Paid and free treatment, universal health care, public health, and plenty of other terms are often heard in the news. But do you know what it means? What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Paid and Free Treatment? Who is qualified for both paid and free treatment? This article aims to cover the scope of the complex system so that we can all be well informed about Paid and Free Treatment before subscribing to it or pushing our leaders to fully implement it.
What Is Free Healthcare?
Simply put, free healthcare means that people of that country can have access to wellness services at no expense or with very minimal financial constraints.
Every government provides services to its people. One of the main fields on which governments focus their efforts is public health care. Citizens are entitled to free health care services if they need them. However, there are disadvantages to everything that we get for free.
Pros And Cons Of Free Healthcare
The primary problem with the free healthcare system is the rapid rise in the number of patients. This makes one wonder how the government can run the system if they’re short of budget? Or will they reduce the services? Will people instead be charged more for services? Or does it really help people, or is it just another business strategy?
What Are The Advantages Of Free Healthcare?
The free healthcare system has a variety of positive effects and advantages.
Let’s take a closer look:
1. Free Health Care Lowers Costs
When compared to the free-market system, free healthcare systems significantly reduce costs. Basically, you won’t have to pay the doctor’s fee. Every treatment you receive is free of charge. This means that even those who cannot afford to pay the fees can receive services of equal quality.
2. Free Healthcare Eliminates Unnecessary Competition
Healthcare providers are constantly competing with each other. We all know that the healthcare industry has turned into a business. As a result, their goal has changed. And they are now more concerned with the number of patients than the quality of their service. Moreover, they try to attract wealthy people who are able to pay high bills while ignoring the needs of those who cannot.
3. Free Healthcare Reduces Administrative Costs
In a free-market economy, physicians must deal with various private agencies to acquire the required medical resources. The government acts as a price-controlling agency in the case of free healthcare. This means that medicines can be purchased in bulk without the need for doctors to waste time negotiating with private agencies.
4. Free Healthcare Improves Child Health
Children need extra attention. This is because they are at a higher risk of developing complications and diseases. When parents get financial incentives, children from all economic classes have access to health care. As a result, they are spared from several diseases, enabling them to live healthy lives and contribute to societal development.
5. Free Healthcare Boosts The Economy
The impact of health on a country’s socioeconomic system is clear. Countries with more affordable healthcare have healthier economies and vice versa. Every person has access to health treatments because they get healthcare for free. As a result, this increases people’s productivity and directly impacts the nation’s economy.
Disadvantages Of Free Healthcare
So far, free medical care seems to be the ideal solution. However, why is free healthcare bad?
One of the most significant disadvantages is having to pay for medical treatment for strangers. Chronic diseases account for about 85 percent of healthcare expenses, with the majority of these costs being due to lifestyle choices. As a result, people who live a healthy lifestyle feel burdened and unfairly taxed by the bad decisions of others.
Understaffing of medical staff may lead to lower quality of treatment. This system serves everybody. But if it is not well designed, it can be disastrous for patients and physicians. When implementing such a health plan, it is important to ensure that the doctor-to-patient ratio is manageable.
As a result, it leads to reduced motivation to provide innovation in the health sector. When funding is severely reduced, there will be no space for forward-thinking innovation.
People’s health can worsen as a result of carelessness. The decision to no longer prioritize your health may result in more people becoming sick and not putting less energy into maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
What is Paid Treatment?
Private hospitals mainly provide paid treatment. The majority of people prefer private hospitals over any other alternative. This may be because of the facilities provided and the perception that all of the equipment is available, of high quality, and in good condition.
However, we cannot deny the fact that private hospitals are generally more expensive. The number of facilities available, as well as the kind of individual attention and treatment provided to patients in private hospitals, are undeniable.
Pros and Cons of Paid Treatment
Let us see all the Advantages and Disadvantages of Paid Treatment:
Advantages Of Paid Treatment
According to one study, in paid care, consumers’ impressions did not exceed their hopes. Also, the following are three benefits of private health care:
1. Individualized Care
Hospital treatment is often limited due to staffing, budgeting, and other resource constraints. As a result, patients often receive generalized treatment that overlooks each patient’s particular needs.
Private health care services enable you or a loved one to receive the personalized care needed for long-term well-being. A private care provider may provide support at the appropriate level for your needs.
The personalized treatment patients receive from a private care provider improves their quality of life, whether it is for a few hours per day or for 24 hours a day.
2. Assistance To Family Members
Some of the most difficult challenges in caring for patients are connected to their loved ones. Family members and friends are often called upon to take on the difficult task of caring for a loved one. This can lead to stress and emotional upset over time.
Private health care services reduce the burden on others. And they provide the support patients need to ensure that their loved ones receive the best possible treatment.
3. Direct Communication with Health Professionals
It is difficult to communicate with physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. Private health care providers alleviate this by establishing direct communication channels between patients and their doctors.
They monitor patients’ well-being and provide invaluable guidance to medical practitioners who make decisions about the treatment choices that must be considered. This also enables faster responses to any changes or emergencies that may arise.
A private health care service provider can easily fulfill medical and nutritional needs. This improves the patient’s health and can reduce the number of medical appointments needed.
Disadvantages of Paid Treatment
Private health care facilities prioritize those who can afford to pay, as compared to the public hospitals, which provide equal treatment regardless of financial ability.
1. Treatment costs
The cost of treatment in private hospitals is very high if it is not covered. When compared to seeking health care services from public hospitals, the cost of private health care coverage is high
2. More Flexibility, More Money
The amount of money to pay is determined by the degree of flexibility you choose for hospital privatization services. The more adaptability you have, the more money you pay. As a result, be careful when choosing indemnity health insurance.
3. Limited Network
Private healthcare facilities accept only a limited number of insurance plans. Some insurers accept those hospitals but not others. Thus, when selecting a private hospital, check to see if they accept a certain insurer.
4. Out-Of-Pocket Expenses
While you rely on insurers, most of them cover just 80% of the total cost of care, leaving you to pay the remaining 20% out of your own pocket.
5. Limited Beds
Due to their size, private hospitals have a limited number of beds.
