Health is one of the most essential factors of every individual that contributes to the population of a country. The growing concern of health leads the health care system to upgrade accordingly to its needs.
The body of the health care system is organized in a certain structure to build a hassle-free system that could cater to its needs.
Key Takeaways
- Indian health care is more cost-effective than US health care, providing services at lower prices.
- The Indian health care system is a mix of public and private sectors, while the US system is predominantly private with government-funded programs for specific populations.
- India faces challenges in health care infrastructure and accessibility, whereas the US struggles with high costs and unequal access to care.
Indian Health Care vs US Health Care
The difference between Indian health care and US health care is that the Indian health care system is a kind of mixed system combining both public and private sectors and their respective facilities and uses.
US health care is a completely private sector that is wholly managed by private companies and their employers.
Indian health care system follows a universal system-level combining of both public and private facilities.
People have access to both the systems present in health care and they use it according to their needs.
For every citizen of India, public health care is completely available without any high cost or sometimes it may charge a very minimal value.
US healthcare follows a one-way methodology of only governing the system by the private section of the sector.
It comprises of various involvements of private insurance and claiming medical emergency companies as government interference in the whole process is less.
It does not maintain a universal approach towards the health care hierarchy.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Indian Health Care | US Health Care |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | It follows a structure where there is the interference of both state and central governments according to respective percentages. | It does not follow a proper universal structure and tries to make such a model. |
| GDP rate | The GDP percentage rate in India is low that is around 4 to 5 %. | This health care assigns a higher percentage of GDP which is 16%. |
| Infrastructure | This follows an infrastructure where both government and private bodies are included. | This kind of system maintains an infrastructure where only the private sector interferes. |
| Insurance facility | People of this health care system mostly do not follow to have medical insurance. | Insurance is an essential part of this kind of healthcare and people follow to have medical insurance. |
| Medicines | Individuals have access to buy medicines without being prescribed by the doctor. | People can have medicines only after the prescription of a doctor and it is strictly followed. |
What is Indian Health Care?
The health care system of India follows a methodological structure that comprises various bodies which contribute towards the system according to its respective percentages.
It holds interference of both government and private bodies but government bodies hold a greater percentage providing healthcare at minimal cost and certain times provide free treatment.
It follows a universal structure system as both state and the central government contribute their percentages making it stronger.
The state government has various levels of healthcare including primary, secondary, and tertiary kinds which people can access according to their needs.
Private bodies charge a lump sum amount for accessing their treatment facilities making it quite expensive.
The Indian health care deficits in certain of its infrastructures as it does not have such modern technological equipment that may be very urgent in the need of the hour.
Due to its lack of medical instruments, the system fails at a certain point.
Coordination and lack of manpower make the situation worse during peak time.
At that crucial time, government hospitals are the only functioning body so that ultimately creates pressure on the whole system.
During high crowd times in the healthcare structure of India, it lacks a certain number in various parameters. The GDP percentage of this system is certainly low which is around 4-5%.
Individuals do not have proper knowledge of medical insurance and other general requites related to it as this system does not hold it as a mandate.
What is US Health Care?
US Health care does not have any fixed system that follows a universal structure rather it varies on various sections of the population.
It is mainly held by the private sector where the employer looks at the employees and the government interference is quite less in proportion.
It provides a modern infrastructure with medical-ready equipment in every crucial situation.
Insurance is an important aspect of this kind of system as people are aware of the medical insurance terms and facilities that occur.
The underprivileged section of people who cannot afford any insurance to avail medical facilities are provided health care by the government.
Though US healthcare has private sector influence on it still it expenses a reasonable amount which is around a cost percentage of 10 to 12.
Private insurance companies play an essential role in this whole structure of the health system.
The gross domestic product of the country in the system holds around 16 percent of it.
The cleanliness side of the medical institutions is maintained high and is always in properly sanitized stage over this healthcare.
The care towards the patient provided in the hospitals and other amenities is at a top-class level with proper rules and order of the structure.
Main Differences Between Indian Health Care and US Health Care
- Indian health care has the power of both state and central government that is held respectively while US health care does not have any such division.
- The Indian health care fixed its budget that is 4-5% of its gross domestic product rate but US health care makes it higher in the gross domestic product which is 10-12%.
- Indian health care comprises both private and public sectors in the medical field whereas US health care is a wholly private-based sector.
- The hygiene and cleanliness of the medical institutions are poor in Indian health care while US health care has a strict policy regarding the maintenance of cleanliness and sanitization facilities.
- People have access to medicines in Indian health care without being prescribed by doctors but in US health care prescription of the doctor is compulsory for buying medicines.
- https://www.jabfm.org/content/16/2/151.short
- https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.12.3.224
Last Updated : 04 July, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
This article presents a simplified comparison of Indian healthcare and the US healthcare system, highlighting the lack of proper infrastructure and low GDP percentage in India. A great analytical read.
A comprehensive comparison of two very different healthcare systems, providing a clear understanding of the structure and challenges faced. The article provides a well-researched view of Indian healthcare in comparison to the US.
This article clearly outlines the impact of government and private sectors on healthcare systems in India and the US. It effectively demonstrates the differences in GDP percentages and the emphasis on medical insurance in the US.
Certainly, the comparison provided paints a stark contrast between the Indian and US health care systems. The stringent regulations in the US system demonstrate a positive effect on cleanliness and patient care, despite the dominance of private insurance companies. This calls for an evaluation of the steps required for improvement in the Indian healthcare infrastructure.
The article offers an insightful perspective on the different approaches to access to medicines, healthcare infrastructure, and government intervention between India and the US. The focus on the medical insurance policy offers a valuable understanding.
While the article makes a valid comparison, the assertion of superior cleanliness and strict policy of order in US health care, lacks thorough supportive data. In fact, the Indian health care challenges may also be attributed to a broader economic landscape and complexities of a diverse population.