Comparing Japanese and American Health Care

Japan and the United States are the two most technologically advanced countries in the world. The United States has the largest economy, whereas Japan has the third largest. Japan has a GDP of $4.3 trillion, whereas the United State's GDP is over $13 trillion. Both nations are looked at as world leaders. The United States and Japan are both democratic, capitalist nations but have very different health care systems. Health care is provided for all in Japan and has been since 1961. All citizens are required to get health insurance. The Japanese health care system has been praised for its accessibility. It has also given the doctors more control over how they perform medical procedures. As a result, the overall health of individuals has improved over the last 50 years.

The cost of health care is very drastic when comparing per capita for medical expenses. Japan's is roughly 2,326 American dollars. The United States per capita for medical expenses is 6400 American dollars. A per capita medical expense does an excellent job of showing how a country with similar economies and governments has different costs for health care.

This, however, is not the case in the United States. The United States is currently suffering from a health care crisis. Over 47 million Americans are without health insurance. 9 million of them are children. On top of that, Americans have to pay out of pocket costs at a higher rate. The Price of health insurance is also rising in the United States. Some employers are putting more of the cost on the employees because of this. The American public is being harmed by the health care industry. Some people have to decide whether or not to put food on the table or go to the doctor. Children across this country don't get the proper care they need because their parents can't afford it. This is not right. When considering the prosperity of the United States, there should not be a single child without health insurance.

Some would argue that the Bush Administration has done little to help the health care crisis. In 2003, the administration pushed a Medicare bill that moves Medicare to privatization. Medicare is health insurance for the poorest families in the United States. The bill prevented government from negotiating lower medical costs.

The Japanese health care system does have its flaws however. Japan's health care system is very affordable; however prices have risen slightly over the last decade. Their population is increasingly becoming older however; workers have to pay a slightly larger percentage of their income. They still don't have to pay nearly as much as the United States does though.

The quality of American health care is good when an individual can afford it. Hospitals and clinics use cutting edge technology when caring for patients. According to the Washington Post, Americans also have the easiest access to specialists. On the other hand the article also mentions how America has more medical errors when compared to other nations like Great Britain and Australia. The United States should defiantly look at what other democratic nations have done with the public health care systems though.

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/ja.html

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/us.html

http://www.aflcio.org/issues/healthcare/whatswrong/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110301143.html