Perhaps the biggest barrier to accessing healthcare is the high cost of care. In recent years, the average cost of care has been increasing in America, rendering many people incapable of affording insurance. To remove this barrier, the cost of healthcare should be lowered. One way the government can do this is through regulation. For example, placing caps on the cost of medication and cost-sharing schemes such as deductibles, copayments, and premiums will reduce the cost of care. Another barrier to healthcare access is the unavailability of facilities.
Some communities, especially rural ones, do not have hospitals close to where the majority of the members live. This means that they have to incur transportation costs and also spend a lot of time accessing healthcare. The solution to this problem is to build community health centers to provide people with local healthcare. Another solution is to increase the adoption of telehealth services. During the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, telecare was used to provide services to patients without them needing to come to the hospital. This practice can be further expanded and utilized beyond the pandemic period.
- Barriers to Healthcare in the US and How to Address Them
- Quality Measures Implementation, Standards, and Barriers in the Healthcare Services
- Eliminating Healthcare Barriers Within Communities in the United States
- Access of Healthcare: Factors Affecting the Access of Care and Barriers
- Immigrants’ Barriers to Healthcare Access