Question

Do some online research on the healthcare system in Latin American countries and then write a short essay comparing it with healthcare in the United States. You can start by researching the basic models of the health care systems and then do further research on the U.S. health care system.

Answer 1

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

Of course, there are many health systems in Latinamerica, as there are countries in this region. However, one of the most interesting cases of a good public health system is México's health system.

This particular case is so interesting because, in México, the health service is a right granted in the Mexican Constitution.

We know that Medicare and Medicaid in the United States have pros and cons, and this issue has caused a lot of debate in this administration regarding the benefit or changes that Obama care needs. Or the difficulties an American citizen faces when he/she does not have social security because the health services are so expensive. What about a dentist's consultation?

In México, every Mexican has the right to a decent health service any place in the Mexican territory...for free.

The Mexican public health system is divided into three parts: 1) Health Department. 2) Social Security (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social - IMSS, that is the public service for employees that work in private companies, with the right to be attended in public hospitals). 3) Public Hospitals in the Mexican States (Instituto de Seguridad Social para los Trabajadores del Estado ISSSTE). Every Mexican state (it has 32 states, has one ISSSTE Institution with many hospitals).

So different than what happens in the US, the best medical technology and equipment is in the public health system. So if a rich Mexican wants the service of a public specialty hospital, the administrative office of the hospital evaluates its resources and charges for the service or the surgery. And the same happens to the poorest Mexican that want the same service. The wealth study conducted by the public hospital dictates the amount of money be paid.

The beauty of this system is that the rich individual who had a knee surgery can pay $50,000 Mexican pesos for it, and the poor Mexican individual pay only $3,000 Mexican pesos less (medicine included) for the same surgery. All services are according to your wealth status.