NUR 327 - Current U.S Healthcare System questions and answers Graded A+ cost challenges -The U.S. spends most healthcare dollars on acute care & physician services, with far less allocated to public health. Rising costs are driven by prescription drug

NUR 327 - Current U.S Healthcare System questions and answers Graded A+ cost challenges -The U.S. spends most healthcare dollars on acute care & physician services, with far less allocated to public health. Rising costs are driven by prescription drugs, technology, & chronic/degenerative disease management. The ACA (2010) expanded health insurance coverage, improving equity, but shifted more costs onto employees through employer-based plans. access to care -Health care access is a social determinant of health— poor access leads to poorer outcomes. U.S. system is two-tiered: private insurance = higher quality care; public programs/uninsured = limited, lower quality care. Uninsured rates improved after the ACA but remain high, with disparities by income, race/ethnicity, & region (especially the South). Uninsured individuals are less likely to receive preventive care. Community health centers serve as safety nets for uninsured/underinsured populations