It wouldn't let me choose Business Ethics for the subject!
Except for the United States, the largest advanced economies in the world all provide a heavily subsidized universal health care system, that is, a publicly funded system that provides primary health services to all, usually at a nominal fee only and with no exclusions based on income or wealth. Although these systems are not perfect, their continued existence seems assured, regardless of the cultural or political framework of the various countries. A logical question is why the United States would be an outlier on this issue, and whether that might change in the future.
Some answers, as noted in the text, lie in the United States’ historical reliance on a mostly private system, with approximately 83 percent of health care expenses provided by the private sector through insurers and employers (in contrast, this percentage in the United Kingdom is 17). A solution that has gained traction in recent years is conversion to a single-payer system. How might this work? One article estimates that the cost of instituting a national, single-payer health care insurance program in the United States would be $32 trillion over ten years. If this estimate is accurate, would it be an exorbitant price tag for such a program, or would it be money well spent in terms of making good health care available to all citizens?46 (Links to an external site.)
Reflection Questions
Describe the parties involved and their interests.
Describe the corporate cultures at Freedom Health and UnitedHealth which contributed to encouraging alleged fraud.
In what two ways was Freedom Health alleged to have defrauded the government?
How is it alleged UnitedHealth’s business model depended on fraudulent reporting?
What factors, including risks and rewards, do whistleblowers face in coming forward to report fraud?
Do you find it appropriate that health care costs be provided by a mix of private versus public sources?
What advantages might single-payer health care offer over employer-provided coverage, care provided under the ACA, or privately purchased health insurance?