What Is a National Health Insurance Policy?

A national health insurance policy is a federally funded and government-mandated program that is delivered at local and state levels. The goal is to provide health care and access to all individuals, regardless of economic or health status.

Features

• National health care services encompass all medically necessary services, including mental health support, dental services, occupational health care, prescription drug coverage and medical supplies. Copayments and deductibles are eliminated under a national health program.

Considerations

• Health care facilities receive annual payments to cover the cost of health care delivery services such as hospitalization, diagnostic testing, surgeries, disease treatment and related procedures. The amount of annual reimbursement is based on the facility's historical factors such as clinical performance, expenditures, procedures, level of services, quality of services, wages and availability of innovative programs.

Benefits

• Health care expenditures would be consolidated for all programs, which is a perceived benefit. Medicare, Medicaid, state and local funds are allocated to the national plan under the program design, and this theoretically reduces paperwork, staffing needs and overhead expenses required to manage health care services.

Theories/Speculation

• The national health plan policy theory assumes that financial barriers to care will be eliminated and that associated billing and paperwork will be minimized. The theory also suggests that access to health care services will increase for all citizens, and preventive services will be used more effectively.