Medical care is a basic need for human survival and development, and it is also an important symbol of social equity and progress. Free medical care, as the name suggests, refers to medical services provided by the state or ** to citizens without any charge.
The purpose of free medical care is to protect people's right to health, reduce poverty due to illness, and improve social welfare and well-being. Globally,How many countries have achieved free health care?Why can't China provide free medical care?
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently 197 countries or regions in the worldAmong them, 190 countries or territories have achieved free health care to varying degrees。The free medical care model in these countries or regions can be broadly divided into three types:
Universal health insurance model: The state or ** provides basic medical protection for all citizens through taxation or social insurance, covering most or all of the medical expenses. The representative countries of this model are the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
Mixed medical insurance model: The state or ** through the collection of taxes or social insurance, to provide citizens with basic medical insurance, covering part of the medical expenses, while allowing citizens to voluntarily participate in private medical insurance to supplement additional medical expenses. The representative countries of this model are Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, etc.
Market medical insurance model: the state or ** only provides limited medical protection for low-income or vulnerable groups, covering a small amount of medical expenses, and other citizens need to buy private medical insurance by themselves to bear most or all of the medical expenses. The representative countries of this model are the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.
The main ways to achieve free health care in these countries or regions are:Increase the rate and scope of tax or social insurance collection, and expand funding** and coverage of health insurance；Establish a unified medical security system and management organization, standardize the standards and procedures of medical security, and improve the efficiency and transparency of medical security.
Promote the rational allocation and utilization of medical resources, and optimize the supply and demand of medical servicesto improve the quality and satisfaction of medical services. Strengthen medical supervision and evaluation, formulate medical policies and regulations, maintain medical order and rights and interests, and promote medical reform and innovation.
China is the world's most populous country and a developing country, and its healthcare system is facing many challenges and difficulties. First, there is the inadequacy and inequity of health care. Although China has established a basic medical insurance system that covers the whole population,However, the level and scope of medical insurance are still not high and wide enough.
Especially in rural and poor areas, many people still do not have access to basic health care or have to bear high medical costs. Second, there is an imbalance and inadequacy of medical resources. China's medical resources are mainly concentrated in large cities and large hospitals.
However, in small and medium-sized cities and primary medical institutions, the quantity and quality of medical resources are relatively low, resulting in a mismatch between the supply and demand of medical services, and the accessibility and affordability of medical services are low. In addition, China's medical services have the phenomenon of excessive medical treatment, irrational drug use, and medical waste.
It affects the effectiveness and efficiency of medical services, increases medical costs and risks, and reduces the safety and satisfaction of medical services. Finally, there are still many institutional flaws and contradictions in China's medical systemFor example, the administration of medical institutions, the marketization of medical personnel, and the marketization of medical expenses.
This has led to inconsistencies in the interests and responsibilities of medical institutions and medical personnel, insufficient competition and regulation in the healthcare market, and inadequate implementation and enforcement of medical policies and regulations. These problems make it difficult for China's healthcare system to provide free medical care, or even to ensure basic medical equity and sustainable development.
If China wants to achieve free medical care, it will need to pay huge costs and sacrificesIt can cause bigger social and economic problems.
Free healthcare is a desirable goal, but it is also a difficult goal to achieve. Globally, 190 countries or regions have achieved free medical care to varying degrees, but they also face a variety of problems and challenges. As a developing country, there are still many problems and difficulties in China's medical system, and there is still a long way to go to achieve free medical care
China should carry out comprehensive, in-depth and innovative reform of the medical system according to its own national conditionsto achieve equitable and sustainable medical care, protect people's right to health, and improve people's sense of well-being. This is China's responsibility and its dream.