What beliefs and values have shaped our US healthcare system?

Answer 1

Views and beliefs such advancement in medical technology and the medical model that primarily governs health care delivery in the U.S. and focuses on illness rather than wellness; A strong belief in capitalism, which has lead to health care being viewed as an economic good (or service), not as a public resource. This has lead to the fee-for-service being the primary model of payment, which has uncontrolled utilization, uncontrolled prices and payments. Capitalism has also lead to the belief that each individual and corporate entity within the predominantly private entrepreneurial system seeks to manipulate financial incentives to its own advantage, without regard to its impact on the system as a whole; A concern for the most underprivileged classes of society, the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and children has led to the creation of public programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP; and principles of free enterprise and general distrust of big government have kept the delivery of health care largely in private hands.