“People from all over the world come to the Cleveland Clinic for care and the Clinic is rated the best hospital in the U.S., yet not everyone in Cuyahoga County is healthy, explain.”
Because the Cleveland Clinic is rated as the best hospital in the United States, it can charge higher prices for its services. Therefore, the Clinic’s services are reserved for those who can afford medical coverage. People travel from all over the world to receive treatment at the Clinic, but these people all have something in common. They all have the money to travel to Cleveland. They also have the money to pay for the treatment the Clinic provides them with.
Cuyahoga County includes some very nice areas, but it also includes the city of Cleveland. Cleveland has high poverty and unemployment rates. In fact, the overall rate of individuals with income below poverty level in Cuyahoga County is 26.3%. Because of this, many of the residents there cannot afford good medical coverage, and surely are unable to afford care at the Cleveland Clinic. This explains why many people in Cuyahoga County are unhealthy.
Ideally, universal health care would solve this problem. However, I am confused by how this would work. If everyone in the country was provided with medical coverage, who would decide which patients get to receive treatment from the Cleveland Clinic rather than from another hospital? And what about patients who travel from other countries to receive care at the Clinic? I feel that money would still be an issue for who receives the better care. I am not sure that I understand how the government would plan to ensure equal health care for all when certain hospitals are better than others. I guess I am curious to learn more about the universal plan.
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Clint, well done. You pose some excellent questions. I think the supporters of universal coverage believe this coverage extends to preventive health care and not just hospitalization. Therefore, the CC could extend health services to the community through neighborhood clinics. Using the knowledge of health and illness to keep people healthy. Having access to a physician on a regular basis could offer the residents of the county assistance in staying out of the CC.
ReplyDeleteNice blog Clint. I like how your first two paragraphs really put in the facts of what is going on in Cuyahoga County, and then in the third you brought in the discussion of universal healthcare from class. I did not think of doing that. Well done.
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