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The Beveridge model is a
The Beveridge model is a health care system
A health system, health care system or healthcare system is an organization of people, institutions, and resources that delivers health care services to meet the health needs of target populations.
There is a wide variety of health systems aroun ...
in which the government provides health care for all its citizens through income tax payments. This model was first established by Lord Beveridge in United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in 1948. Under this system, most hospitals and clinics are owned by the government; some doctors and health care professionals are government employees, but there are also private institutions that collect their fees from the government. With the government as the single-payer in this health care system, it eliminates competition in the health care market and helps to keep the costs low. Using income tax as the main funding for health care allows for services to be free at the point of service, and the patients' contribution to taxes covers for their health care expenses.
The Beveridge model emphasizes health as a human right. Thus, universal coverage is provided by the government and anyone who is a citizen is given coverage and access to health care.
The Beveridge model has its distinct policies, but most countries use variations of this model combined with the other health care approaches. Countries that operate in some variation of the Beveridge model mostly employ a universal health care
Universal health care (also called universal health coverage, universal coverage, or universal care) is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. It is generally organized a ...
system. The universal health care system ensures that all residents within a country are guaranteed access to healthcare. The countries that are currently implementing Beveridge model policies include the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand and more.
History
The Beveridge model of health care was first created byWilliam Beveridge
William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge, (5 March 1879 – 16 March 1963) was a British economist and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was a Progressivism, progressive, social reformer, and eugenicist who played a central role ...
, a British economist and social reformer whose ideas led to the creation of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
's National Health Services (NHS) in 1948. The model originated in the United Kingdom and has spread through many areas in Northern Europe and the world.
Criticism
According to Joseph Kutzin, Coordinator of Health Financing Policy atWorld Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
, a concern regarding the system is how the government is going to respond to the health crisis. In the case of national emergency, the funding for health care may decline as public income decreases. Such a situation would cause many problems with the large influx of patients, and a solution would be to allocate emergency funds prior to any crisis.
See also
*Beveridge Report
The Beveridge Report, officially entitled ''Social Insurance and Allied Services'' ( Cmd. 6404), is a government report, published in November 1942, influential in the founding of the welfare state in the United Kingdom. It was drafted by the Lib ...
* Bismarck Model
The Bismarck model (also referred as "Social Health Insurance Model") is a health care system in which people pay a fee to a fund that in turn pays health care activities, that can be provided by State-owned institutions, other Government body-ow ...
* Semashko model
The Semashko model is a single-payer healthcare system where healthcare is free for everyone, and is funded from the national budget. It has been extensively modified since its introduction and a number of ex-soviet countries have now abandoned ...
* '' The Healing of America''
* History of the welfare state in the United Kingdom
The History of the welfare state in the United Kingdom covers the growth of welfare programs and programs for the poor since the 13th century, with emphasis on the establishment of a welfare state in the 20th century. For recent trends ses Welfare ...
References