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What Is The Difference Between France And Japan Healthcare System

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On April 1st, 2011, Japan celebrated its 50th anniversary of universal healthcare, a healthcare system which undoubtedly contributed to their 2015 number one ranking for life expectancy for both sexes, in a list compiled and published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Although not in the top five, France made the list at number nine equal with Switzerland, and New Zealand sat at number 15. So, what makes these two countries so different? Why is their life expectancy so much higher than ours? Ultimately, it comes down to health care. The purpose of this essay is to describe two different healthcare systems used in countries other than New Zealand, in this case, French and Japanese systems, and the main similarities and differences…show more content…
Uninsured patients incur 100% of fees, however these fees are renounced for low-income households receiving a government subsidy. Homeless people brought to hospital via ambulance also have their fees waived. As with any healthcare system, universal healthcare has advantages and disadvantages; “the advantages in comparison with private insurance are that being based on solidarity, premiums are levied according to the ability to pay, and not on the risk of illness” (Sasaki, Izawa, & Okada, 2015).
Comparatively, the French healthcare system combines similar universal coverage, with a public-private mix of hospital and outpatient care. It is largely financed by the Government’s national health insurance, however patients can be refunded up to 70% of most healthcare costs, and 100% in cases of costly or long-term ailments/conditions. France’s healthcare system topped the rankings in the World Health Organisation’s Health Report in 2000 (Rodwin, 2003). France’s universal healthcare grants an automatic and continuous right to treatment, to those who legally reside there for at least 183 days per year, or for three consecutive months and are a permanent legal resident. From an outsider perspective, it may seem that these two countries have very similar healthcare, and in some aspects, that is largely true. Both are big prescribers of medication, in some cases over-prescribed, however in both countries, doctors practice homeopathy as well as allopathy, which begs the question as
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