250487 A Comparison of Perceptions of and Experiences in the Health Insurance Systems of Canada, France, United Kingdom, and the United States of America

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 3:30 PM

T. Lucas Hollar, PhD , Master of Public Health Program, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Cyril Blavo, DO, MPH&TM , Master of Public Health Program, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rushita Shah, MS , College of Osteopathic Medicine, Master in Public Health Program, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Health insurance systems are a hot topic within the contexts of current events, politics, health policy, and health administration. Analysis of variables within the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey reveals interesting and noteworthy similarities and differences between citizens' experiences of Canada's National Health Insurance model, France's Bismark model, the United Kingdom's (UK) Beveridge model, and the United States of America's (US) mixed-model of healthcare. Kruskal-Wallis tests (p≤.001) and Goodman and Kruskal tau tests (p≤.001 on 6 variables and p≤.05 on 1 variable) of survey responses to the themes of “system views and confidence,” “affordability and cost-related access barriers,” “access to needed care and wait times,” and “primary care and patient-centered care” identified significant differences between the countries. The results suggest that although the US leads in patient-centered care and short wait times for specialists, it lags behind the other three nations on the confidence of receiving effective care, affordability of needed care, and affordability of pharmaceuticals. The majority of French respondents reported confidence in the affordability of needed care; however, they had the second longest wait time to see a specialist. Canadian respondents had the most concern about lengthy times for diagnosis. The UK had the most favorable responses across the four themes. Policy makers and administrators can apply these results to policy development and reform decisions.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Provision of health care to the public
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify unique characteristics of the healthcare insurance systems of Canada, France, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. 2. Compare and contrast the perceptions and experiences of respondents of each country relative to healthcare quality, affordability, access, and wait times. 3. Critically assess the applicability of the study results to health policy development.

Keywords: International Systems, Health Insurance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because my research and and scholarly activity is within organization studies, public policy, and public health. Coauthors on this abstract have extensive experience in global health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.