Case Study Paper:
Sweden Universal Healthcare
Vs.
United States Private Healthcare
Ramandeep S. Badyal
PLSI 183
Comparative Administartion
Professor Kenneth N. Hansen
March 25, 2015
The United States healthcare system is very different from all the other nations. It spends a lot of money on the healthcare and has been unsuccessful in controlling its high health care costs. Not every citizen in the United States have access to health care. Many of the other nations spend very less in healthcare, while they have very positive outcomes. They have care for everyone and better health outcomes. For example, Sweden has universal health care compared to the United States. They have better care than the United States. According to study conducted by UN in 2013, Sweden was ranked number one in providing elderly care, while the United States was on number eight (Jolly Richard). In this case study paper, I will try to compare and contrast Sweden’s universal health care policies with those of the United States. By using variety of academic journal articles and other online resources, I will explain the structure of Sweden’s Universal Healthcare. In the process of explaining the structure, I will try to answer questions such as; how does Swedish healthcare gets funded? How policies are implemented to promote public health? Which government agencies or levels are involved? And finally can this healthcare system be implemented in the United States? Sweden has a constitutional monarchy type of government with King Carl Gustaf as the main chief executive and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt as a second chief executive. King Gustaf has been head of state since 1973. He exercises no political power and mainly performs ceremonial duties and functions. It is kind of same system as monarch of England and Spain. Alliance for Sweden is current political party in power with almost 7 million people entitled to vote. 388 members makes up the legislature size of Swedish politics. The life expectancy in Sweden is around 82 and 83 (Sweden). Same like Canada and most of the other European countries, Sweden has highly decentralized healthcare, where local municipalities and counties handle both the financial and delivery aspect of the healthcare. Almost everyone in Sweden has a cheap health services. Health care is not as big of an issue as it is in the United States. Sweden has universal healthcare compared to the privatized healthcare of the United States. According to World Health Organization (WHO), universal health care system provides high-quality health care services to all the people, no matter if they are rich or poor. The countries with universal healthcare offers health services to all its citizens, so they do not have to suffer financial hardship when paying for them. Government’s involvement in universal health care decides things like; what kind of care should be provided, to whom it should be provided and basis for determining the care. Universal healthcare is funded by both the patient and taxation of public (What is Universal Health..). . One of the main difference between Sweden’s and the United States’ healthcare system is government’s involvement in implementing healthcare policies. Sweden’s healthcare is based on single payer, where government makes all the decision about how much money to spend and how to deliver the healthcare services to its public. Instead of having all the decisions made by central government, Sweden believes in subsidiarity. All matters are dealt by the lowest authority capable of running them effectively. Healthcare is also handled at local level to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the services. On the other hand, United States have both private and public insurers in the healthcare system with the dominance of private sector over the public. Most of the insurance in the United States is offered by private companies through employers, while low-income families and elderly go on to
