Last updated 9.21.17 Dr.

Betsy Eastwood

HPAM610 Fundamentals of Health Policy and Management

Individual Assignment #1: International Comparisons

Goals of this assignment: The purpose of this assignment is to understand how the U.S.
health care system compares to at least one other industrialized country.
In order to complete this assignment you must: (1) have a good understanding of the U.S.
health care system, (2) be able to retrieve article(s) from the library, (3) write at a graduate
level, free of spelling or grammatical errors, and (4) cite sources appropriately and in the
specified citation style (APA)
Format: Your paper should be at least 5 pages long, double spaced, and should be formatted
with 1 inch margins, 12 point font, and page numbers. You must properly cite each data
source, both in text and in a reference section at the end of the paper, per APA format. See
the document “Appendix A: Writing for this Class” for more information.
Grading: This assignment is 1 of 5 individual assignments that, in total, comprise 35% of
your final grade. Thus each assignment is worth 7% of your final grade, translated here as 7
points.
THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC DEDUCTION OF 3 POINTS FOR POOR GRAMMAR,
SPELLING, OR FORMATTING!

THE ASSIGNMENT
Determine your comparison country
If your last name begins with A-F, your comparison country is CANADA
If your last name begins with G-L, your comparison country is GERMANY
If your last name begins with M-R, your comparison country is FRANCE
If your last name begins with S-Z, your comparison country is GREAT BRITAIN

Answer the following five questions in full sentences

1. Your country has a universal health coverage system. However, are there services that are
not covered, or only partly covered, under that system? If so, what are they? Are there any
individuals or groups who are not covered under your system? Please specify the individuals
and groups. How does this compare with the U.S. health care system?

2. Who contributes the money to pay for covered health services (services under the national
health plan)? What percentages of total national health care expenditures, or contributions to
the health funds (whichever numbers are most readily available to you) come from which
sources? Where do the monies reside: central public funds, local public funds, employer
funds, or a combination of funds? How does this compare with the U.S. health care system?

3. Who pays out the money to providers, i.e. which institutions? Would you consider this to
be a single payer system of payment, or not? Explain your conclusion. How does this
compare with the US health system?

4. Is there any private health insurance in your country? Who buys it and for what reason?
What percentages of total national health expenditures are associated with private insurance?

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Last updated 9.21.17 Dr. Betsy Eastwood

How does this compare with the U.S. health care system?

5. How will the ACA make the U.S. health care system more similar or dissimilar to that of
your comparison country? Be specific about which provisions of the ACA you are referring
to, and cite your sources.

Minimum required sources

1. Your assigned chapter from the Lassey et al. (1997) text
2. Brown, L. D. (2003). Comparing Health Systems in Four Countries: Lessons for the
United States. American Journal of Public Health, 93(1), 52-56.2
3. At least 3 other articles from peer-reviewed academic journals through PubMed:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed or other search engine (not wikipedia – points will
be taken off)