Let's Look at Jobs in Health Care, Shall We?

Hi, and welcome to what will probably be many articles about careers in the healthcare industry. This article is designed to give you an overview of the basics of the somewhat embattled US healthcare system. This is not an exhaustive review of the entire industry, but it should give someone who is considering jobs in health care a leg up.

In the US, a diverse selection of individuals and legal entities pay for health care- patients are offered both inpatient and outpatient services by charitable, commercial, or governmental entities. The healthcare system is funded by a mix of public and private funding, with the government picking up about 45% of the total annual cost.

There is also a huge market in the US for medical devices, medicines and medical research and development. Most spending on medical R and D is privately funded; however, non-profit organizations and the government provide some funding as well. Most medical research and development for direct medical application is conducted in commercial labs, and most general research is funded by the government (for example, the National Institute of Mental Health) or by universities.,

Almost 60% of Americans receive health care coverage from their employer, although that number is declining in the tough economy. Workers have to pay about 16% of their own single coverage costs and about 28% of the cost of healthcare for their families. Additionally, they must also pay for deductibles and co-payments. However, employer contributions to healthcare are not taxable as income- this is a 150 billion dollar annual tax subsidy provided by the government.

Managed Care organizations include HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) and PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations. A PPO general has a higher cost than an HMO, but a PPO allows the patient to choose where they receive their care, while with an HMO they are constrained to "in-network" providers. The PPO has been the dominant of the two, over the past decade, and it is common today for a physician or hospital to have contracts with a dozen or more health plans, each with different referral networks, contracts with different diagnostic facilities, and different practice guidelines.,

There are many individuals that are not covered by private insurance, but are covered by government programs such as Medicaid (which provides care to the poor), Medicare (which provides care for the elderly and disabled), or the Veterans Administration (which provides care to veterans, their families and survivors). In 2006, Medicaid provided coverage for 38 million Americans while Medicare did the same for about 40 million. Another 11 million people are eligible for coverage but are not enrolled in any kind of government program.

The number of physicians accepting Medicaid has decreased over the past decade due to high administrative costs and low levels of reimbursement. Another program, the State Children's Health Insurance Program was created in 1997 to provide coverage for children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid yet can't afford to buy health insurance- however, this program is already losing funding in may states.

As you move forward in your career, only you can decide if the health care industry is right for you. Be vigilant, don't get discouraged- and you will find the jobs in health care you're looking for in no time at all!