Health care reforms in America: perspectives, comparisons and realities

Health care reforms are now a reality in America after a long and tortuous debate. President Obama has achieved a 'victory' unlike anything seen since the term of President Lyndon Johnson, over 40 years ago. The new law brings America closer to universal coverage and access to affordable health care for its citizens, but the cost of the program and its impact on individuals, physicians, hospitals, the pharmaceutical and device industry and insurance companies is not yet fully known. The debate preceding the enactment of health care reform brought up numerous comparisons (often invidious and falsified) between the American system of health care and other systems throughout the world, including the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and Medicare in Canada. This overview examines the issues raised in the debate, perceptions of health care systems on a global basis, provides some perspectives on the reform of health care systems and examines some of the realities underlying these changes for the future of health care in America.