The Massachusetts experience with universal health coverage Term Paper

The Massachusetts experience with universal health coverage - Term Paper Example In fact, the Affordable Care Act on Obamacare universal insurance is based largely on the Massachusetts universal health care coverage (Kessler 1). Universal Health Care has an impact on the individuals of a society and implementing it guarantees better health of the people and productivity. Universal Health Care Universal health care is a system of health insurance in which the objective is to ensure that all individuals in the society or any jurisdiction have access to good health care. In most countries, health care is expensive to especially those who are considered below the poverty line - they are unable to access healthcare facilities as they cannot afford. The universal health-care plan promises to change all that by providing insurance to even the very poor. This healthcare is based on several principles, as discussed below. Provision to all Universal care is based on the fact that all people should have access to healthcare. This is regardless of whether they are rich, poor or are in the middle class. The plan has to be such that no person is unable to pay for healthcare services. The cost of the services is spread across all the people using the plan to ensure that all people can be able to make payment regardless of their social class. This is through several options provided to the individuals. Reduced direct spending: Direct payments made by individuals seeking healthcare services to providers are reduced. In this case, the individuals have to cost share the cost with the providers. This can be through co-payments, in which the individuals subscribe to be paying a specified fee per month, deductibles in which the individual is deducted a certain amount of money after a certain period like monthly, quarterly or half yearly depending on their specifications, coinsurance in which insurance is spread across several parties and unofficial payments to the provider at the time when seeking healthcare services (Universal health coverage 3). Prepayment Hea lth care has to be financed by some individuals at some point. In the case of universal health care, individuals who can afford to make contributions every now and then are encouraged to continue making contributions. The payments are made before hand, and it is not necessarily that a person is seeking healthcare services to make the payment. Contributions are made through taxes, payroll deductions, contribution premiums and donor contributions. The contributions can be organized in different ways depending on the jurisdiction (Universal health coverage 4). Risk Pooling: Universal healthcare is based on sharing the cost of healthcare facilities and services. In this case, the cost incurred by any individual when seeking health care services is spread across all individuals that have subscribed to the universal health care services. For the system to be more effective, more people are required to subscribe and make payments. This reduces the chances of fluctuations when services are being provided. When few people subscribe, there are times when the facilities may lack funds, especially when many people are seeking medical interventions at the same time (Universal health coverage 5). Considerations for universal healthcare success Universal healthcare has to be well considered for it to work out properly. The political landscape of the country is